LIBRARY 'OF CONGRESS. 
JBT-SQI . h+w 

Chap. Copyright No, 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




A. likeness of our Lord, from a clay model found in the catacombs of Rome. 



LIKE 



OF 



OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR 
JESUS CHRIST 



BY 
REV. J.'PUISEUX 

Honorary Canon and Former Student of the Carmelite School 



TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH 

BY 

RODERICK A. McEACHEN, A. B. 



D. H. McBRIDE & CO. 

PUBLISHERS 

NEW YORK AKRON, O. CHICAGO 



3T$ 

7331 

JUN 16 1900 



ORDER DIVISION 

JUN 29 1900 



64458 

Copyright, 1900, 



RODERICK A. McEACHEN. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Approbation of the Bishop of Chalons vii 

Preface « viii 

PART FIRST. 

BIRTH AND HIDDEN LIFE OF JESUS. 

Chap. I. The Precursor's Birth Foretold 1 

II. The Annunciation and the Visitation 3 

III. The Birth of John the Baptist 6 

IV. The Birth of Christ and the Adoration of the Shepherds 7 

V. The Name of Jesus — The Presentation in the Temple and the 

Purification s 11 

VI. The Adoration of the Magi 13 

VII. The Flight into Egypt — The Slaughter of the Holy Innocents — 

The Return to Nazareth .' 15 

VIII. Jesus at Nazareth — Jesus in the Temple — Hidden Life of Jesus 

at Nazareth , , 17 

PART SECOND. 

PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS. 

I. 

Preparation for the Ministry op Jesus, from His Baptism to the First 

Pasch. 

Chap. I. The Mission of John the Baptist — The Baptism of Jesus 21 

II. The Temptation in the Desert. . . . 25 

III. The First Disciples 27 

IV. The Wedding at Cana , 30 

V. Capharnaum and the Lake of Genesareth......... 31 

II. 

The First Year of Jesus' Ministry. 

Chap. I. The First Pasch at Jerusalem — The Sellers Driven from the 

Temple — Nicodemus 33 



IV TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Ch. II. Jesus in Judea — Last Testimony of John the Baptist — His 

Imprisonment 36 

III. The Samaritan Woman . . , 38 

IV. Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth — He is Driven from the 

City — Jesus at Cana — He Cures the Centurion's Son 41 

V. Jesus in the Region of Genesareth — Definite Calling of the First 
Disciples — The Miraculous Draught of Fishes — Miracles 

at Capharnaum 44 

VI. Jesus in Galilee and at Capharnaum — First Mission in Galilee — 
He Heals a Leper — Cure of a Paralytic at Capharnaum — 
The Question of the Remission of Sins — Calling of St. 
Matthew 47 

III 

The Second Year of Jesus 1 Ministry. 

Chap. I. The Second Pasch at Jerusalem —The Draught of Fishes at 

Bethesda — The Question of the Sabbath . 51 

II. Jesus Returns to Galilee — The Grain — The Man with a With- 
ered Hand 53 

III. Jesus at Capharnaum and in Galilee — The Twelve Apostles 55 

IV. The Sermon on the Mount — The Beatitudes — The " Our Father " 

— Trust in Providence — Reconciliation and Love of Ene- 
mies — Images and Sentences 56 

V. Capharnaum and Nairn — The Servant of the Centurion of 

Capharnaum —The Widow's Son Raised to Life 63 

VI. The Conversion of Mary Magdalen , . . 66 

VII. Jesus in Galilee — Capharnaum — Second Mission in Galilee — 
Capharnaum — Teaching by Parables — The Sower — The 

Good Grain and the Cockle — Other Parables 68 

VIII. The Tempest Appeased — The Possessed of Gerasa — Jairus 1 

Daughter Raised to Life and the Infirm Man Cured ........ 74 

IX. Jesus at Nazareth — Third Mission in Galilee — The Apostolic 

Preaching 78 

X. Death of John the Baptist 81 

XL The Multiplication of the Loaves — Jesus Walks on the W^ater — 

The Holy Eucharist Foretold 83 

IV. 

Third Year of the Ministry of Jesus. 

Chap. I. Jesus in Syro-Phcenicia, in Decapolis, at Dalmanntha — Jesus 
and the Pharisees — Voluntary Exile — The Chananean - 

The Cure of a Deaf -Mute - The Sign of Jonas 89 

II. Jesus North of the Lake, at Bethsaida and at Cesarea-Philippi — 
The Blind Man of Bethsaida — The Confession of Peter and 

His Recompense — The Passion Foretold 93 

III. Thabor and the Transfiguration — The Transfiguration on Thabor 

— Cure of One Possessed , 96 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. V 

PAGE 

Ch. IV. Jesus at Capharnaum — The Didrachma — The Child as the 
Model of Humility — Parable of the Merciful Master and 

the Hard-hearted Servant 100 

V. Jesus at Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles — Jesus in the 
Temple — Discussions — The Sinful Woman Pardoned — 

Teaching in the Temple 102 

VI. Jerusalem — Cure of a Man Born Blind — The Good Shepherd. . . 106 
VII. New Stay in Galilee — The Seventy-two Disciples — The Wicked 

Cities 109 

VIII. Jesus in Judea — The Parable of the Good Samaritan — Jesus at 

Bethany in the House of Martha and Mary Ill 

IX. Jesus on the Mt. of Olives — The Second Form of the Our Father 

— Instruction on Prayer 114 

X. First Visit to Perea — A Repast with the Pharisees — The Rich 

Man who Died. 115 

XI. Jesus at Jerusalem — The Feast of the Dedication 118 

XII. Last Stay in Perea — The Repast with a Pharisee — The Parable 
of the Prodigal Son — The Parable of the Rich Man and 
Lazarus 119 

XIII. Jesus at Bethany — The Resurrection of Lazarus 125 

XIV. Farewell Visit to Samaria, Galilee, and Perea — Cure of the Ten 

Lepers — The Pharisee and the Publican — Divorce Con- 
demned — Jesus and the Little Children — The Rich Young 

Man 129 

XV. Jesus at Jericho and at Bethany — Jesus Foretells His Passion — 
Ambition of the Sons of Zebedee — Lesson on Humility — 
Zacheus — Jesus at Bethany— The Repast with Simon the 
Leper , 134 

V. 

Holy Week. 

Chap. I. Jesus Enters Jerusalem in Triumph — The Prophecy on Jeru- 
salem 139 

II. Monday of Holy Week — The Fig Tree — Jesus in the Temple — 

The Greek Messengers — Jesus Glorified . . 143 

III. Tuesday of Holy Week — The Enemies of Jesus — The Parable of 

the Faithless Husbandmen — Parable of the Wedding Feast 

— Caesar's Penny — Teaching on the Resurrection — The 
Pharisees Denounced — The Widow's Mite — The Fall of 
Jerusalem and the End of the World — Parable of the Wise 
and Foolish Virgins — The Last Judgment — Wednesday of 
Holy Week ...... 145 

IV. Holy Thursday — The Pasch — The Cenacle — The Washing of 

the Feet — The Institution of the Holy Eucharist 154 

V. The Last Discourses of Jesus — The Discourse in the Cenacle — 
Peter's Denial Foretold — Infallibility — The Discourse on 
the Way to Gethsemane — The Prayer of Jesus 158 



VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

PART THIRD. 

OUR SAVIOUR'S PASSION AND RESURRECTION. 

PAGE 
Chap. I. Jesus Arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane — Gethsemane — 
The Agony of Jesus and His Bloody Sweat — The Betrayal 

of Judas 163 

II. The Trial of Jesus — Jesus Before Annas, the High Priest — 
Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin — Peter's Denial 

— Death of Judas— Jesus Before Pilate — Jesus Before 
Herod — Barabbas Preferred to Jesus — The Scourging and 
Crowning with Thorns — Ecce Homo ! — The Condemnation . 166 

III. The Crucifixion— The Way of the Cross — The Nailing to the 

Cross —Jesus on the Cross — The Seven Words — The Death 
of Jesus , 177 

IV. Jesus in the Tomb — Wonders at the Death of Jesus — The Taking 

Down from the Cross and the Burial — The Holy Sepulchre 

— Jesus Placed in the Tomb— The Tomb Sealed and 
Guarded 182 

V. The Resurrection — The Apparitions — Jesus Appears to Mary 

Magdalen — Jesus Appears to the Holy Women — The Dis- 
ciples of Emmaus — Jesus in the Cenacle— Jesus Appears 
to Thomas — The Apparitions in Galilee — Jesus Appears to 
Seven Disciples on the Lake of Genesareth — Feed My 
Lambs, Feed My Sheep — Second Apparition in Galilee — 185 

VI. The Ascension 194 



MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS. 

Map of Palestine in the Time of Our Lord Just before chapter I, part 

1 . Likeness of Our Saviour, after a clay model 

in the Catacombs Frontispiece . 

2. View of Bethlehem Between pages 8 and 9. 

3. View of Nazareth 

4. The Lake of Genesareth, or Tiberias 

5. View of Jerusalem 

6. View of Bethany 

7. Plan of Jerusalem in the Time of Our Lord . 

8. General View of the Mount of Olives 

9. The Title of the Cross at Holy-Cross-in-Jeru- 

salem Church, Rome 

A. M. D. G. 



18 and 


19. 


31 and 


32. 


51 and 


52. 


112 and 113. 


139 and 


140. 


150 and 


151. 


178 and 


179. 



APPROBATION OF THE BISHOP OF 
CHALONS. 



Chalons, July 26, 1895. 

Rev. and Dear Sir. — The examination of your 
" Life of Our Lord, Jesus Christ/' has proved favorable 
in all points. I am happy to encourage you in this 
work, and to give you my hearty approbation. 

In your book, you have followed the method used by 
modern historians of our Saviour, with the recital of 
facts, you mingle the description of places and the ex- 
planation of customs, ceremonies and institutions 
which come within the study of the Gospels. 'Without 
departing from the precision and the style which history 
demands, you understand how to interpret the sacred 
text as well with discretion, which preserves the sense, 
as with a happy adaptation, which is an assurance that 
much fruit will come from it. Your book is complete 
in its kind and the style is really apropos. I think with 
the critics a that it bids fair to be ranked among the 
classics most useful and most to be recommended to 
our schools and colleges." The success of this book 
would be so much more agreeable to me because it 
would respond to my ardent desire to see the study of 
the Gospel spread and bear fruit in all ranks of society. 
May God grant my desire by blessing your work ! 

Believe me, Reverend Sir, Tours devotedly in 
Christ. MICHAEL-ANDRE, 

Bishop of Chalons, 



PREFACE. 



This " Life of Our Lord, Jesus Christ " is especially 
intended for the instruction of the young. Its aim is 
to initiate the Christian youth into a knowledge of the 
wonderful works of our Saviour, and of His divine 
teachings. This book is a compendium 1 which may be 
enlarged on, at will, by the teacher; 2 it is complete 
enough to satisfy the needs of students in our schools 
and colleges. Each paragraph comprises one important 
fact. It follows the chronological order so far as 
possible in using Abbe Fouard's beautiful book as a 
model. We have striven to relate events in historical 
and geographical order. Modern voyages and discov- 
eries have proved of great assistance to us. Late pil- 
grims too have aided us in giving the proper notes to 
the text and the actual state of places. It was easy to 
compile our brief foot-notes from the works of Victor 
Guerin and M. de Vogue and the many travellers of 
our day. We have treated controversial questions 
without entering into discussions; but we have always 
referred, in this, to discourses and special works on 

1 An introduction to the study of the New Testament will be 
found in the Manuel biblique de M. M. Bacuez et Vigouroux, t. 
III. 

2 Many books abound in which the professor can find these de- 
velopments. Lives of Our Lord, of the first rank, are: that de L. 
Veuillot, de Tabbe Fouard, de Tabbe Le Camus, de Tabbe Frette, 
du P. Didon, du Dr. Lepp; la Passion du P. Ollivier, not to speak 
of other such works, le Manuel biblique de MM. Bacuez et Vig- 
ouroux, et Texcellent Dictionnaire de la Bible; les Evangiles du 
Cardinal Meighan; le Grand cours d'Ecriture sainte de Migne. 



X PREFACE. 

the subject. On these grounds, this book, without 
being properly a book of erudition, will doubtless 
satisfy the needs of teaching as it is understood to-day, 
and will satisfy the lawful curiosity of young minds. 

We trust that we have not fallen altogether short of 
our end, and that we have contributed in some small 
degree to the spreading of the knowledge and love of 
Our Dear Lord among those children who love Him. 

J. PUISEUX. 



PART FIRST. 



THE BIRTH AND HIDDEN LIFE OF 

JESUS. 

FROM FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE COMMON ERA TO 27 A. D.i 
YEAR OF ROME, 749 TO 780. 



CHAPTEE I. 

The Precursor's Birth Foretold. 

ST. LUKE I.* 

Malachias was the last of the prophets. All the others 
had foretold the different circumstances of the Messiah's 
life and death, 3 but Malachias foretold the coming of the 
Precursor. 

Pour hundred years later the time was fulfilled and 
" he who was to prepare the way for the Saviour " was 
born into the world. 

1 The common era (as used to-day) which counts the years 
from our Saviour's birth was instituted by Dennis the Little, 
early in the sixth century. He was mistaken about five years 
in saying that Christ was born in the year of Rome 754; it 
should be at least 749. — Didon's Life of Christ, II Appendix. 

2 The text is generally referred to only one Gospel. The con- 
cordances marked in all Bibles will aid in finding the text in other 
Gospels. 

3 Cardinal Meighan, Les Propheties messianiques. 



2 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Tradition tells us that the Levite Zachary and his 
barren wife Elizabeth dwelt piously together at this 
time, in the village of Kereni (Ain-Karim) 4 among the 
mountains of Judah. Zachary had come to Jerusalem 
to perform his yearly ministry in the Temple. One day, 
when he had entered the Holy of Holies to offer incense 
before the Altar of Perfumes an angel appeared and told 
him that he would beget a son, that the child should be 
called John, 5 and that he would bring back the faithless 
to God and " prepare for the Lord a perfect people. " 
Zachary was astonished; he hesitated to believe; he 
asked for a sign. Then the angel made himself known 
in these words : " I am Gabriel, one of those who stand 
in the presence of God." And as' a punishment for his 
doubting, he declared that Zachary should be dumb 
until these things came to pass. 

4 To-day a village of 1,000 inhabitants called " St. John on 
Montana " by Christians. " It stands on the brow of a hill which 
rises in a narrow valley surrounded by a chain of higher moun- 
tains." — Landrieux, Aux pays du Christ. 

5 Hebrew proper names always have a meaning. John means 
" Gift of God." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 6 

CHAPTER II. 

The Annunciation and Visitation. 

The Annunciation; St. Luke, I. — -Nazareth 6 was a 
village of Lower Galilee, north of the plain of Esdrelon. 
Here, in chaste union with the carpenter Joseph, dwelt 
a young virgin named Mary. 

This pious virgin was born at Jerusalem of Joachim 
and Anne, 7 and was a scion of David. The Church tells 
us that she was, by special mark of Divine Providence, 
free from sin at her very conception. From the age of 
three years she was brought up in the Temple and had 
consecrated herself to God by a vow of perpetual vir- 
ginity. 8 She had just left the Temple and become the 
spouse of Joseph, who also belonged to the house of 
David. 

Six months after the vision of Zachary, the angel 
appeared to Mary while she was praying in her house 
and said: " Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; 
blessed art thou amongst women." Seeing that she was 
troubled at these words, the angel added: " Fear not, 
Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, 
thou shalt conceive and shalt bring forth a son, and thou 
shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall 
be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God 
shall give unto him the throne of David, his father; and 
he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever; and of his 

6 To-day " En-Nasirah." 

7 The Hebrew Miriam (Mary) means "most high mistress." — 
Most reliable tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin was born at 
Jerusalem. To-day the Church of St. Anne, which belongs to 
France, stands on the site of the house in which Joachim and 
Anne dwelt. — Guerin, Jerusalem, 350. 

8 Bacuez and Vigouroux, Manuel biblique, III, 207. 



4 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

kingdom there shall be no end." " How can this be? " 
asked Mary, " for I have vowed to remain a virgin." 
Then the angel replied: " The Holy Ghost shall come 
upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall over- 
shadow thee; and, therefore, also the Holy which shall 
be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." He 
also told her, as an assurance of his words, that God was 
to give a son to her aged cousin Elizabeth. The humble 
virgin then exclaimed: " I am the servant of the Lord; 
may your words be fulfilled." 

And the Word, says St. John, the Eternal Word, the 
Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, was made man 
and dwelt amongst us. 9 

The Visitation; St. Luke, I, 39-56. — Some days 
later, Mary set out for her cousin Elizabeth's to con- 
gratulate her on the wonderful favor she had received 
from God. After a four days' journey she came to 
Kerem. When Elizabeth saw her approaching the house 
she cried out by divine inspiration: " Blessed art 
thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy 
womb." 10 

In reply to this greeting, Mary gave utterance to that 
sublime canticle, the Magnificat, the words and senti- 

9 St. John, I, 1. On the 25th of March the Church celebrates 
the mystery of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin and the In- 
carnation of the Son of God. The holy house of Nazareth, in which 
these mysteries were accomplished, was transported miraculously 
by angels (1294) to Loretto in Italy, where it is venerated under 
the name of Santa Casa. The Church of the Annunciation stands 
on its site. The crj^pt of this church is none else than the very 
grotto which formed the retired part of the dwelling which Mary 
and Joseph occupied. A slab of marble, in the pavement of this 
crypt, bears theFe words. 

Hie Verbum caro factum est, 
which means: "Here the Word was made flesh." Guerin, Galilee 
I, 83. 

10 The Angelical Salutation (the Hail Mary) originally con- 
lained only the words of the angel addressed to Mary and those 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 5 

ments of which are taken from diverse parts of the 
Scriptures. 11 It is a beautiful hynm on the blessings of 
God towards her, on His judgments of the world, and 
on His mercies towards Israel. It runs thus: 

" My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath 
rejoiced in God my Saviour. 

Because He hath regarded the humility of his hand- 
maid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall 
call me blessed. 

Because He that is mighty hath done great things to 
me; and holy is His name. 

And His mercy is from generation unto generation 
to them that fear Him. 

He hath showed might in His arm; He hath scattered 
the proud in the conceit of their heart. 

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and 
hath exalted the humble. 

He hath filled the hungry with good things and the 
rich He hath sent away empty. 

He hath received Israel his servant being mindful 
of His mercy. 

As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His 
seed forever." 

The Magnificat is held to-day, in the Liturgy of the 
Church, as the song of joy and gratitude. 12 

After spending three months with her cousin, Mary 
returned to Nazareth. 

of Elizabeth. At the Council of Ephesus (431). the words "Holy 
Mary, mother of God, pray for us," were added against the Nes- 
torian heresy. An unknown author in the sixth century added 
the word, " sinners." Finally in the sixteenth century another 
unknown author added the last words, " Now and at the hour of 
our death." Thus the Hail Mary was composed. 

11 See especially the Canticle of Anne, mother of Samuel. — 
Kings, III, 1. 

12 The Church preserves the remembrance of this scene in the 



6 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTER III. 

The Precursor is Born. 

ST. LUKE, I, 57-83. 

A few days after Mary's departure, Elizabeth brought 
forth the son of whom the angel had spoken. Eight 
days later, the relatives and neighbors assembled to cir- 
cumcise and name the child. They wished to call him 
after his father. But Elizabeth did not agree to this; 
then Zachary wrote these words on a tablet: " You 
shall call him John." Immediately his tongue was 
loosed, and, filled with the Holy Ghost, he proclaimed 
his joy and gratitude in a canticle on the workings of 
grace. He praised God who was about to giVe a Saviour 
to his people, and declared that his new-born son would 
be the prophet of the Most High and would prepare the 
way for the Lord. It is the Benedictus, which is re- 
cited in the Holy Office every day at Lauds. 

All present were filled with astonishment on behold- 
ing this strange scene, and the report thereof soon spread 
throughout the mountains of Judah. People were 
heard to say: " What do you think of this child whose 
birth is followed by so many wonders? Surely the 
hand of God is with him." 13 

feast of the Visitation. A sanctuary called that of St. Elizabeth, 
or the Visitation, at Am-Karim, marks the place where the 
Magnificat was uttered for the first time. 

!3 A Hebrew idiom which means that God protects him. — 
The Church celebrates the nativity of John the Baptist on June 
the 24th. — A Franciscan convent stands to-day at A' n-Karim 
on the site of Zachary's house. The church of the convent is 
dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Tradition holds that the Pre- 
cusor was born in what is now the crypt of this church. — Guerin, 
Judea, I, 83. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem — The Adoration of 

the Shepherds. 

I, Birth of Jesus, St. Luke, II. — After her return to 
Nazareth, Mary awaited the fulfilment of the divine , 
promises. Yet it was not Nazareth but Bethlehem 14 of 
Judea that the prophets had marked out as the Mes- 
siah's birthplace. A recent edict of the emperor 
favored the issue of this prophecy. Augustus had 
ordered that a census of all the Romans and their al- 
lies should be taken. Herod I, called the Old or the 
Great/ 5 was then reigning in Judea. This enrollment 
was not finished until after Herod's death, under the 
reign of the Roman Quirinus. 16 

It was customary for every Jew to be enrolled in 
the land of his forefathers, where his genealogy was 
kept. Joseph and Mary then, who both belonged to 
the house of David, 17 had to go to Bethlehem, the home 
of their illustrious ancestor.* This was to be the scene 
of our Saviour's birth. 

HMicheas, V, 2. 

15 Three Herods reigned in Judea : Herod I, in whose reign 
our Saviour was born; Herod II, who put John the Baptist to 
death; Herod III, who imprisoned St. Peter. 

10 Vigouroux, Le Nouveau Testament et les discouvertes archeo- 
logique modernes. Le Recensement de Quirinus, p. 81. 

17 St. Matthew, I, 1-18, has given the genealogy of St. Joseph; 
he shows that he is a descendant of David and Abraham. St. 
Luke, III, 23-28, gives that of the Blessed Virgin; this also goes 
back to David and to Abraham and even to Adam and to God. 
For the agreement of the two genealogies, see Jaugey, Dictionaire 
apolegetique de le foi catholique, article Evangiles, lo. — Fouard, 
in his Life of Christ, I, 432, gives another explanation. 

* See "Outlines of New Testament History" (p. 41), by F. 
E. Gigot. — [Note by Translator. 



8 ( LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Bethlehem (house of bread) was a village lying about 
five miles south of Jerusalem, in the mountains of 
Judea. It was built on two hills, one of which, that to 
the east, was much higher and larger than the other. 
The sides of these hills were covered with fig trees, 
almond trees, and vines. Deep, fertile valleys lay to 
the north, south, and east of the village. The place 
abounds in biblical remembrances; near here Rachel 
died; 18 Ruth gleaned in its fields; 19 David was born and 
anointed within its walls. 

At the northeast side of the eastern hill was the 
only inn of the neighborhood. 

This was the stopping place for strangers, and near 
it was a cave-like stable 20 hollowed out in the mountain 
side. Every place was crowded; Joseph and Mary 
could find no lodging in the village or the inn, so they 
betook themselves to this stable, open at the time 
where the beasts had entered. Soon the Blessed Virgin 
brought forth our Saviour, wrapped Him in swaddling 
clothes and laid Him in a manger. This was the ever 
memorable night, December 25th, the year of Rome 
749, the thirtieth year of the reign of Augustus, five 
years before the common era. 

The Church cherishes the memory of this great 
event in the feast of Christmas. A temple built by 
St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, stands 
to-day over the grotto in which our Saviour was born. 
The grotto is garnished with precious marble and is 

18 The tomb of Rachel was about a mile from Bethlehem on the 
way to Jerusalem. 

19 Tradition says that the field of Booz was in the fertile valley 
east of Bethlehem. 

20 The words, " the inn " which St. Luke, II, uses, show that 
there was but one inn or khan, with its stable, at Bethlehem. 



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LIFE OF CHKIST. 9 

lighted by thirty-two silver lamps, the gift of Catholic 
nations. A silver star, fastened in the pavement under 
the altar, marks the spot. 

On it these words are written: 

" Hie de Virgine Maria 
Jesus Christus natus est." 

Which means: 

"Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary." 

The holy crib, or rather the cradle, in which the 
Divine Infant slept, is now at Rome in the Church of 
St. Mary Major. 

II, The Adoration of the Shepherds; St. Luke, II, 
8-20. — That night some shepherds, tradition says three, 
were watching their flocks in the plain east of Beth- 
lehem. 21 Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood before 
them; a bright light shone around them, and they 
were filled with fear. " Tear not," said the angel, " for 
I bring you tidings of great joy, w T hich will make the 
whole world rejoice. To-day is born to you a Saviour, 
Christ, the Lord, in the city of David. You will find 
Him as a little child wrapped in swaddling clothes 
and laid in a manger." 

At that moment, a host of heavenly spirits was 
heard singing and praising God: " Glory be to God 
in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good 
will." 22 

21 At about three-quarters of a mile east of Bethlehem stands 
Beit-Sahour, the " Village of the Shepherds," and about a half 
a mile east of this village, in the " field of Booz," is the Convent 
of the Shepherds. A little underground chapel, much venerated 
in that country, is in the place where the shepherds held their 
watch. — GuSrin, Judea, I, 212 and 214. 

** Some translate : " to men beloved of God." — These words 
have become the opening words for a canticle of praise to our 



10 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

The angels were gone. The shepherds said one to 
another: " Let ns go to Bethlehem and see what the 
Lord has made known to us." They hurried thither 
and found the Child lying in a manger and Mary and 
Joseph by His side. They saw the truth of what the 
angel had said and went back praising and glorifying 
God. All Bethlehem was aroused on hearing this from 
the shepherds, and all began to think of the long- 
promised Saviour. 

"And Mary kept all these things, pondering them in 
her heart," says St. Luke in his touching narration of 
what took place at Bethlehem. 

So Jesus was born of poor parents in a place which 
was not even a house, and He called the poor around 
Him. This He did throughout His whole earthly life 
to teach us the vanity of riches and the goods of 
this world. 23 

Saviour, the Gloria in Excelsis, which the Church sings at the 
beginning of Holy Mass. It dates back to the first ages of 
Christianity. 

23 See Bossuet, elevations sur les mysteres, XVIe Semaine. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 11 



CHAPTEE V. 

The Name of Jesus — The Presentation in the 
Temple — The Purification. 

I, The Name of Jesus; St. Luke, II, 21.— On the 
eighth day after His birth, the Child was circumcised 
according to law and received the name of Jesus, 
which had been revealed to Mary and Joseph. Jesus 
means Saviour, as the angel explained to Joseph: 
" You shall call Him Jesus, for He shall save His 
people from their sins. 24 

"And to do this," says Bossuet, " He forgave the 
sins which had been committed. He strengthened us 
against future sins, and He opened the way to that 
life into which sin can never enter. 25 

II, The Presentation in the Temple and the Puri- 
fication; St. Luke, II, 22-38. — Forty days after the 
birth of Jesus, Mary went to Jerusalem to fulfil the 
ceremonies of Purification and to present Jesus in the 
Temple. Mary, in her humility, wished to undergo 
the ceremony of Purification as other mothers did. 
She offered two turtle-doves, as was the custom of the 
poor, and thus freed her Child from the service of the 
Temple. 26 

■ 24 St. Matthew, I, 21. 

25 The Church has consecrated the second Sunday after 
Epiphany as a special feast to the Holy name of Jesus. Jesus 
conies from two Hebrew words which mean Jehova Salvator, 
" God Saviour." The word Christ, the name given to Jesus in 
the Gospels, signifies anointed or sacred, which is the transla- 
tion of the Hebrew word Messiah, " anointed with oil," the Lord 
expresses His greatness and His sovereignty. 

26 In memory of the fact that He had spared the first-born 
of the Jews, on the night before their departure from Egypt, God 



12 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

There, even, in spite of the obscurity in which He 
hid Himself, Jesus was recognized and glorified. An 
old man named Simeon, a just man, who is believed to 
have been an illustrious scribe, moved by the Holy 
Spirit, 27 came to the Temple just at this time. He had 
been assured by divine revelation that he would not die 
till he had seen Christ, our Saviour. Taking the Child 
in his arms he gave thanks to God in that touching 
canticle, "Nunc dimittis" which the Church repeats 
every evening at the end of her prayers. 

Then Simeon saw, by prophetic light, the destiny 
of the Infant God and the sufferings which His mother 
would undergo. 

"A sword shall pierce thy soul," said he to Mary. 28 

A widow and prophetess, 29 named Anne, who served 
God day and night in prayer and passed her whole life 
in the Temple, also recognized the Child. She praised 
the Lord who had made known this mystery to her and 
spoke of our Saviour to all who were looking for the 
Redemption of Israel. 

wished that all the first-born should be consecrated to Him. 
They were generally redeemed by five sides or shekels of silver. 
The shekel is worth about seventy-five cents. 

27 About three miles south of Jerusalem, on the road to Bethle- 
hem, are found the ruins of a dwelling said to be the country- 
house of the aged Simeon. 

28 The Church remembers these words by the devotion which 
her faithful always show to Our Lady of Pity or Compassion. 
At the end of the fifteenth century this devotion became the 
devotion to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. 

— A writer of the middle ages enumerates the seven sorrows 
of the Blessed Virgin thus : The Prophecy of Simeon, — the Flight 
into Egypt, — the Losing of Jesus (in Jerusalem), — the Way of 
the Cross, — her Standing at the Foot of the Cross, — the Receiv- 
ing of the Lifeless Body of Jesus, — the Placing in the Tomb. 

29 With the Jews, prophet or prophetess, means not only one 
who foretells the future, but, in a wide sense, anyone who speaks 
under the action of the Holy Spirit to instruct and edify. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 13 

CHAPTEE VI. 

The Adoration of the Magi. 

I ? The Magi; St. Matthew, II. — "At the coming of 
Christ," says Bossuet, " the world was stirred up in 
seeking to know the true God who, for so many cen- 
turies, had been forgotten." 30 It was the great move- 
ment begun by the Magi. The Holy Family, on their 
return from Jerusalem, took up their abode at Beth- 
lehem. Here the Magi came and found them. 

The Magi seem to have been priests from the prov- 
inces of Persia. 31 In these lands where the Jews had 
lived during their captivity, the prophecies relating 
to the Messiah were preserved, especially that of Dan- 
iel, which gave the time of His coming, 32 and that of 
Balaam, announcing that a star would set out from 
Jacob. 33 

God permitted a star, no doubt miraculous, to shine 
brilliantly on the borders of Judea. Three of the 
Magi made up their mind to seek Him whom they ex- 
pected and whose coming was shown by the star. 34 

II, The Magi at Jerusalem. — On their arrival at 

30 Elevations sur les mysteres, XVITe Semaine, 4e Elevation. 

31 Martingy, Dictionaire des Antiquites Chretiennes, Article 
Mages. 

32 Daniel, IX, 24. 

33 Numbers, XXIV, 17, — Suetonius and Tacitus have recorded 
the belief which then prevailed in the Orient. " It was the firm 
and long standing belief that the prophets said the princes of 
the land should set out in Judea." — Suetonius. Vespasians IV. 
" Many believed that, as it was written in the sacerdotal books, 
the East would be great at this time and the princes of the 
land would set out in Judea." — Tacitus, Histories. V. XIII. 

34 On the nature of the star, see Fouard, I App. IV. 



14 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Jerusalem, they went to Herod, asking where they 
might find the King of the Jews, who was just born, 
and whose star they had seen. Herod was not a Jew, 
but an Idumean, by birth, and was not schooled in the 
hopes of the nation. So he assembled the Sanhedrin 35 
and questioned the learned men. They told him that 
the prophet Micheas had said our Saviour w 7 ould be 
born at Bethlehem. 36 The cruel and suspicious Herod 
at once conceived the project of using the Magi to find 
the Child whom he already feared as a rival. Then 
he would put Him to death. " Go," said he, " seek dili- 
gently for the Child, and when you have found Him 
tell me, for I also wish to adore Him." 

Ill, The Magi at Bethlehem. — The Magi set out 
under the guidance of the star, reached Bethlehem, and 
went to the house where they found the Child and His 
mother. 37 Falling down, they adored Him, offering 
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, symbols of His 
royalty, His divinity, and His humanity. 

Whilst they were returning, God thwarted Herod's 
design; an angel appeared to them in sleep and told 
them to go back to their country without passing 
through Jerusalem. 38 

35 Sanhedrin, a Greek word meaning to sit together. The 
Sanhedrin seems to have been instituted by the Machabees. It 
comprised seventy-two members. 

36 Micheas, V, 2. 

37 St. Matthew uses the word "house," and not "stable" (St. 
Luke, II, 7). After quitting the grotto of the Nativity, the 
Blessed Virgin took up her abode in the house, the inn proper. 

38 Tradition holds that the Magi were converted later on by 
St. Thomas. They were regarded as saints after their death. 
Their remains, which were brought to Jerusalem, were after- 
wards taken to Milan in Italy. When that city was destroyed 
by Frederick Barbarossa in the twelfth century, they were given 
to Cologne, where they repose in a chapel in the apsis of the 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 15 



CHAPTEK VII. 

The Flight i>tto Egypt — The Slaughter of the 
Innocents — The Return to Nazareth. 

The Flight into Egypt; St. Matthew, II, 13-23.— 
Herod, in Iiie disappointment, resolved not to be out- 
done by that King of the Jews, of whose birth he had 
learned. In the meantime an angel came to Joseph 
in a dream and told him that the tyrant sought the 
Child's death. "Arise," said the angel, " take the 
Child and His mother and flee into Egypt. Remain 
there until I tell you to leave." The Holy Family 
was soon on its way. That country was four or five 
days' journey from Bethlehem. The Gospel does not 
say as to what place they went. 39 

II, The Slaughter of the Holy Innocents. — Scarcely 
had the Holy Family left Judea, when Herod put to 
death all the male children under two years of age in 
Bethlehem and its neighborhood. 

He thought to include Jesus in this wholesale mur- 
der, but Providence had willed otherwise. This odious 
and barbarous deed was not out of keeping with the 

cathedral. Two Latin verses tell us that the bodies are here 
entire : 

" Corpora sanctorum recumbant hie terna magorum 
Quorum sublatum nihil est alibive locatum." 
which means : " Here lie the bodies of the holy Magi from 
which nothing has been taken away or placed elsewhere." On 
the feast of Epiphany the Church "celebrates the manifestation 
of our Saviour to the Magi, and in the person of these, to the 
Gentiles, that is to the pagans, to the whole human race. 

39 See the poetical and legendary account of the journey, ac- 
cording to the Apocryphal Gospels, in Fretti: Noire- Seigneur, 
Jesus-Christ, I, XIV — As to the abode of the Holy Family in 
Egypt, a tradition places it at Old-Cairo and at Matarieb. 



16 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

customs of the times, and the character of Herod. 
His wife, Miriamne, who was a descendant of the an- 
cient kings, all her relatives, and even his own two 
sons by her, fell beneath the hand of this proud and 
cruel tyrant. 40 

It is supposed, as the people of Bethlehem after- 
wards said, that sixty infants, at most, perished in this 
awful massacre. The Church honors these young vic- 
tims offered up by the enemy of Jesus. She sings of 
them as the " flowers of martyrs, cut down in the 
morning of life by the hand of butchers like budding 
roses torn from the stem by the fury of the storm. 41 

Soon after this, Herod was seized with a hideous 
disease. 42 He then brought death upon his own son, 
Antipater, and upon forty-two distinguished Jews. 
He even ordered that the heads of the chief families, 
whom he held in prison, should be slain; thus forcing 
the Jews to mourn his death. Luckily this inhuman 
decree was never carried out. He died in the most 
horrible agony (April, 750, A. IT. C). His eldest son, 
Archelaus, succeeded him in Judea, while his son, 
Herod Antiphas, was made tetrarch of Galilee. 

As soon as the persecutor was dead, the angel came 
and told Joseph to return to the Land of Israel. The 
Holy Family at once left Egypt after a sojourn of 

* 40 Augustus is described as saying that he would rather be 
fterod's pig than his son, alluding to the fact that the Jews were 
forbidden to eat pork. — Macrobius, Saturn, II, 4. On Herod I, 
see Cardinal Meighan, Les Evangiles, 9 rue leson. 

41 Lovely flowers of Martyrs, hail! 

Smitten by the tyrant foe 
On life's threshold — as the gale 
Strews the roses ere they blow. 

— Hymn of the Holy Innocents. 

42 Frette, I, 130, quotes the text of Josephus. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. IT 

scarcely three months. Once more in Judea, Joseph 
learned the troubles which had taken place as Archelaus 
was going into power. 48 Fearing for his dear ones, he 
decided to make his home in Galilee under Herod An- 
tiphas. So he went to Nazareth, where he had dwelt 
before our Saviour's birth. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
Jesus at Nazareth. 

I, The Infancy of Jesus; St. Luke, II, 39-40. — 
Nazareth, 44 where Jesus was to pass thirty years of 
His life, was a small village built on a table-land, to 
the south and west of which rose high crags. Even 
to-day, olive trees, fig trees, nopals, with their ever- 
green leaves, pomegranate and almond trees, justify 
the name of "flower" and that of Paradise, which 
the Jews have given to this place. It was indeed a 
delightful solitude in the midst of sweet and peaceful 
nature. In this blessed place, as St. Luke says, 
"Jesus grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and 
the grace of God was in Him." It is evident from 
these words that Jesus willingly underwent the natural 
growth of mind and body, though His soul, through its 
divine union, enjoyed the beatific vision and possessed* 
knowledge far above any human science. " That wis- 
dom with which He was filled," says Bossuet, " showed 

43 Three thousand Jews had been killed in a sedition. — Frette. 
I, 132. 

44 To-day called Nasra or Nazara. It has about 4,000 in- 
habitants. 

2 



18 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

itself only by degrees ■ — according as the Child grew 
and began to act of Himself, he shone in his whole ex- 
terior as one, I know not why, who caused man to en- 
ter into himself, as one who drew souls to God; yet 
all was simple, moderate and ordinary in His words and 
actions." 45 

II, Jesus among the learned men; St. Luke, II, 
42-58. — The Jews considered the age of twelve years 
as the end of childhood. At this age, Jesus went, for 
the first time, with his parents on their yearly pil- 
grimage to Jerusalem for the Pasch. This feast lasted 
seven days. At the end of this time, the caravan from 
Galilee left the city. Joseph and Mary, thinking that 
Jesus was in the band with their friends, travelled on 
without disquietude until they reached the first halting 
place. 46 Then they noted the Child's absence. They 
hastened back to Jerusalem, and after two days they 
found Him in the Temple with the Doctors. 

It was customary for these men to assemble on cer- 
tain days, in a room of the Temple, to solve all diffi- 
culties as to the meaning of the laws. During the 
Passover, especially, a large crowd always gathered 
around to hear their instructions; to this place Jesus 
had betaken Himself. An old tradition says that the 
aged Simeon was there, as were also ^Ticodemus and 
Joseph of Arimathea, future disciples of our Saviour. 
The Holy Child listened to the Doctors, and asked 
them questions as all had a right to do. "All that 
heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His 

45 Elevations sur les mysteres, XXe Semaine, Ire Elevation. 

46 Doubtless at Beeroth "the wells" (El-Bireh) about ten miles 
from Jerusalem. A church built during the Crusades, now in 
ruins, marked the place where Mary and Joseph noted the ab- 
sence of Jesus. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. ■ 19 

answers." Divinity shows itself no matter how it may 
be disguised. " Those answers which astonished the 
Doctors/' says Bossuet, " were those of a modest, 
sweet, and well-taught child; it is nevertheless clear 
that, though it was proper, something from Above al- 
lowed Him to take His place among the masters." 47 
Mary, surprised and much affected, said to Jesus: 
" My Son, why have You done this; your father 48 and I 
have been looking for You in great distress? — Why 
did you seek Me, mother," answered the Child, " did 
you not know that I must see to My Father's affairs ? " 

For the first time, Jesus mentioned His heavenly 
origin and His divine parentage. He went with Mary 
and Joseph to Nazareth. 

II, Hidden Life of Jesus at Nazareth. — Jesus spent 
the next eighteen years at Nazareth. The Gospels 
are silent about this long period of His life; St. Luke 
simply tells us that " He was subject to Mary and 
Joseph, showing us thereby that the virtue most be- 
coming to children and young folk, that which Jesus 
wished to practice and point out in a special manner, is 
obedience and respect. Tradition has supplied a little 
for this shortcoming of the Scriptures. It says that 
Jesus, like every Jewish youth, had a trade, that of 
carpenter. He saw no better w r ay than by example 
to add dignity to manual labor, so much despised by 
the pagans, who left it to slaves and the servants of the , 
people. " Let those/' says Bossuet, " who live by the 
labor of their hands be consoled and rejoice; for Jesus 
is of their number." The Christian study in all ages, 

47 Elevations, XXe Semaine, 4e Elevation. 

48 " Father not only by adoption, but truly father by his ten- 
derness, his care, and his sorrow." — Bossuet, Elevations, XX® 
Semaine, 5© Elevation. 



20 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

and especially in ours, has always been to draw marks 
of nobility from the workshop of Nazareth beside the 
Jesus-worker. During this period occurred the death 
of St. Joseph, the virgin spouse of Mary, the guardian 
and protector of Jesus. 

In memory of his duties in the midst of the Holy 
Family, soon after the Vatican Council, the Pope pro- 
claimed him patron of the Universal Church. He 
quietly breathed his last in the arms of Jesus and Mary. 
This divine privilege has made all ages look upon him 
as the patron of a happy death. 49 

49 Several churches or chapels at Nazareth commemorate the 
long sojourn of the Holy Family in this place. Besides the 
Church of the Annunciation, which we have already mentioned, 
the Franciscans have a chapel built on the (traditional) site of 
St. Joseph's workshop, and the United Greeks have a church on 
the site of the ancient synagogue used during the time of Our 
Lord. — A public fountain here bears the name of " Fountain of 
Mary." 



PART SECOND. 



PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS, A. D. 27-30 (YEAR 
OF ROME, 780-783). 

I. 

THE PREPARATION OF JESUS FOR HIS MINISTRY FROM HIS 
BAPTISM TO THE FIRST PASSOVER, JANUARY-APRIL 27. 



CHAPTEE I. 

The Mission of John the Baptist — The Baptism of 

Jesus. 

I, The Mission of John the Baptist; St. Matthew, 
III. — John, son of Zachary, dwelt until his thirtieth 
year in the desert, west of Ain-Karim, which to-day 
is called the Desert of St. John. In this place he pre- 
pared himself, by the practice of the most austere vir- 
tue and by the most rigorous abstinence, for the part 
he was to play as Precursor. 

He was clothed in a tunic of camel's hair, and wore 
a leathern girdle around his waist. His food was lo- 
custs and wild honey. 1 

1 Locusts are used as food by the poor in Judea. It was the 
same with the Orientals in general. The Bedouins still eat them, 

21 



22 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

The voice of God resounded in the wilderness, tell- 
ing him that the hour was come for the fulfilment of 
his mission. St. Luke, in his historical sketch, has 
taken care to note the precise time and place of John's 
preaching, and also the beginning of the ministry of 
Jesus. " It was," says he, " the fifteenth year of 
Tiberius Caesar's reign; Pontius Pilate was governor of 
Judea; Herod was tetrach of Galilee; Philip, his 
brother, was tetrarch of Itrurea and the country of 
Trachonitis; and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilina, un- 
der the high priests Annas and Caiaphas." These dates 
correspond to the year of Rome, 779. 2 

In the autumn of that year, which was the beginning 
of the Sabbatical year, 3 John came into the desert of 
Judea along the Dead Sea and the Jordan, 4 then he 

Some translate it not as locusts but as carob-beans, the fruit 
of the bread tree. Whatever be the meaning of the passage, the 
Greek word used by St. Matthew and St. Mark can only be 
translated " locusts." 

2 The fifteenth year of Tiberius should be counted not from 
the death of Augustus, but from the accession of Tiberius to the 
imperial crown, as was the custom in the East. — Pontius Pilate 
had been sent to Judea as governor to succeed Valerius Gratus, 
A. D. 26. This Herod is Herod II, Antiphas, son of Herod the 
Great tetrarch, that is to say, placed over a tetrarchate or 
quarter of a kingdom after the death of his father. Philip was 
another son of Herod the Great. — The existence of a certain 
Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilina, in the time of Our Lord, is posi- 
tively fixed by inscriptions. For this last point, see Vigouroux : 
Le Nouveau Testament et les discouvertes archeologiques 
modernes. Chap. II, Lysanias, tetraque d' Abilina. 

3 Every seventh year the Jews kept the Sabbatical year, or 
that of repose. The land was not tilled during this year: and 
whatever it yielded spontaneously was given to the poor, to 
strangers and to the animals. Slaves could recover their liberty. 
Debts between Jew and Jew were forgiven. — Exodus, XXIII. 
10-11; Deutronomy, XV. This year of universal rest was most 
favorable for the preaching of St. John. The Sabbatical year 
was counted from September to September. 

4 Read a beautiful description of the Wilderness of Judea, in 
Didon, 7, 11, see map, Guerin, Judea, III. 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 23 

went down on the bank of the river. There, at the 
ford of Bethany, 5 in front of Jericho, he began his 
mission and baptized 6 large crowds that came to him. 
He reminded them that this water which washed the 
body was but a symbol of the cleansing of their hearts. 

At the same time, he preached penance, telling them 
that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He rebuked 
the Pharisees and the Sadducees for their hardness of 
heart, 7 for their hypocrisy and their pride. He began 
thus: 

" Ye brood of vipers * * - * bring forth fruits 
worthy of penance, * "- * * for now the axe is laid 
to the root of the trees. Every tree that brings not 
forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the 
fire." To the simple and faithful he was content to 
recommend the practice of almsgiving and fraternal 
charity: " He who has two coats, let him share with 
him who has none ; and he who has meat, let him do in 
like manner." To the Publicans 8 he recommended 
justice in the exercise of their office; to the soldiers, 
self-control and respect for the rights of others. In 
a word, he urged all to do their duty and practice the 
virtues suited to their state. Apart from this, he 

5 Bethany of the Jordan must not be confounded with Bethany 
near Jerusalem, the home of Lazarus. On modern maps, it bears 
the name of Bethbara or Bethabara, " house of the passage." 

6 Whence the name of Baptist or baptizer. 

7 The Pharisees (Separated) were a sect much taken up with 
legal observances. They had added a great many of these observ- 
ances to the law, and called them tradition; they rigorously 
avoided all intercourse with strangers. Many of them were 
proud and hypocritical. The Sadducees (Just) rejected all tra- 
dition and held to the letter of the law. They were rather indif- 
ferent in religious matters, conversing freely with strangers, and 
denying the resurrection of the body. These two sects will often 
be brought into question in the Life of Our Lord. To-day, most 
Jews belong to the Pharisees. 

8 Tax-gatherers. 



24: LIFE OF CHRIST. 

spoke of the Messiah, who was now at hand. As Isaias 
had said, he was the voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness: " Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make 
straight His paths. Every valley shall be filled; and 
every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the 
crooked shall be made straight and the rough ways 
plain. " 

The people, struck by the singularity of his life and 
the eloquence of his words, mistook him for the Mes- 
siah. But he stoutly assured them that he was not. 
" I, indeed^, baptize you with water," said he, " but there 
shall come One mightier than I, the latchet of Whose 
shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you 
with the Holy Ghost and with fire; that is to say, in 
charity." 

One day, some Pharisees, sent by their sect, came 
to question him: "Art thou Elias? Art thou a 
prophet as we have heard ? " When he had told them 
that he was neither, they added : " Who art thou 
then ? What do you say of yourself ? " John 
simply renewed his profession of faith: "I am the 
voice of one crying 'in the wilderness; make straight 
the way of the Lord." 

II, The Baptism of Jesus. — About three months 
after John came to the Jordan, January 6th, according 
to tradition, Jesus came with the Galilean crowd to be 
baptized. John recognized Him by divine light and 
refused to enter the water, saying: " I ought to be 
baptized by Thee, and comest Thou to be baptized by 
me ? " " Let it be so now," answered Jesus, " for we 
must fulfil all justice." 

When Jesus came out of the water, He prayed, the 
heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost came down 
upon Him in the form of a dove. At the same time, a 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 25 

voice was heard from Above, saying: " This is My 
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Divine 
Trinity thus showed itself for the first time ; the Father 
in the heavenly voice, the Son in Jesus, and the Holy 
Ghost in the dove. Jesus, called the Son of God, had 
just sanctified the waters by His touch and gave them 
the power of cleansing souls in the Baptism which He 
was soon to institute. 9 



CHAPTEE II. 

The Temptation in the Desert. 

st. matthew iv. 

When Jesus set out from the river Jordan, He was 
led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. The Gospel so 
calls the wild and mountainous country to the north of 
the Dead Sea, on the right bank of the river, which is 
called the Wilderness of Judea. Tradition says the 
site of our Saviour's retreat was the steep cliff of the 
Quarantania, to the west of Jericho. 10 Here He passed 
forty days in densest solitude, " with the wild beasts," 
says St. Mark, " in the dead of winter, without food or 
drink." Certain passages of the Scriptures seem to 
say that He was tempted throughout the whole time 
of His retreat. The temptations of the Man-God 

*In remembrance of this scene the Christians have built con- 
vents and churches in this place, which are now in ruins. The 
Greeks have just rebuilt a convent called that of St. John the 
Baptist. Even yet, at the time of the Pasch, many thousands of 
pilgrims belonging to the separated churches go to Jerusalem, to 
the Jordan, under the guidance of the Pascha, and bathe in the 
river at the place where John baptized Jesus. 

10 See Didon's description of the desert of Judea and the Mount 
of Quarantania, Life of Christ, I, III, and Duray, la Terre Sainte 
illustree, 171. 



26 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

appealed to His humanity alone; they were not tempta- 
tions of the flesh or of the lower passions; they could 
not have been else than exterior suggestions of the 
devil. 11 However, after His long fast, He was hungry. 
The devil, who wished to know whether the promised 
Messiah was really hidden within that mortal form, 
came and said to Him: " If Thou be the Son of God, 
command that these stones be made bread." Jesus 
refused to make Himself known to the demon; nor 
would He work His first miracle to alleviate His own 
wants. " Man lives not by bread alone," answered He, 
" but by every word that comes from the mouth of 
God." Then the devil took Him to Jerusalem upon the 
roof of one of the porticoes of the Temple, and said: 
" If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down, for it 
is written that He hath given His angels charge over 
Thee and in their hands shall they bear Thee up lest 
perhaps Thou dash Thy foot* against a stone." He 
pointed out to Jesus the court where the people were 
crowding into the Temple. But Jesus did not wish to 
shine before the people in such vain proceedings, and 
simply answered : " It is written again, thou shalt not 
tempt the Lord thy God." The devil now made a last 
trial. He took Jesus to a neighboring mountain of the 
Quarantania, which to-day is called the Mount of the 
Temptation. Thence he showed Him all the kingdoms 
of the world and their glory: "All this will I give 
Thee," exclaimed Satan, " if Thou wilt fall do^n and 
adore me." At sight of this bold pride, Jesus, so calm 
throughout, cried out sternly: " Begone, Satan, for it 
is written the Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and Him 
only shalt thou serve." 

11 St. Thomas, Summa Theologise, 3© p. Quest. XLI. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 27 

The conquered demon went away, and angels came 
and cared for the wants of Jesus. 

Our Saviour wished to teach us that none, even 
among the holiest, is free from temptation, and to show 
us that the strongest temptation is weak in the presence 
of prayer and fasting. 12 



CHAPTEE III. 

The First Disciples. 

I, Andrew and John; St. John, I, 29-51. — The long 
fast in the desert was in the immediate preparation 
which Jesus made for His public ministry. He was 
thirty years of age, the age of manhood, the age marked 
out by the Jews as the time when one was fitted to 
enter upon any great duty, whether civil or religious. 13 
Jesus came down from Mount Quarantania and stopped 
on the bank of the Jordan not far from where John 
was baptizing. It was about the middle of February. 14 
When John saw Him in the distance, he cried out to 
his followers : " Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him 
who taketh away the sins of the world. " 15 John then 
testified, in a touching manner, that Jesus was the 
Chosen One of the Holy Ghost and the Son of God. 

12 The Church, inspired by the example of our Saviour, has. 
from apostolic times, established the fast of the forty days of 
Lent. A convent of Greek monks, hewn out in the rock, marks 
the place to which our Saviour retired on Mount Quarantania. 

13 Ollivier, Les Amities de Jesus, 19. 

14 As we have seen, tradition fixes the baptism of Jesus on 
January 6th: His arrival at the Jordan then was about Febru- 
ary 16th or 17th. 

15 The Church uses these words at the Communion of the 
Mass. 



28 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

As Jesus was passing the next day, he repeated those 
words to two of His disciples: " Behold the Lamb oi 
God." It was, says the Gospel, about four o'clock 16 in 
the afternoon/ 7 the hour in which the symbolic lamb 
was slain and offered in the Temple, and to this John 
doubtless referred. The two went to Jesus at once and 
followed Him. Seeing them draw near, He asked: 
"What seek you?" And they replied: "Master, 
where dwellest Thou ? " " Come and see," replied 
Jesus. He showed them the shelter under which He 
had spent two days. They remained with Him that 
evening, which was enough to attach them to Him for- 
ever. They were Andrew and John (the Evangelist), 
both Galilean fishermen,' from Bethsaida on the borders 
of Genesareth. 

II, Simon Peter. — - Andrew had a brother named 
Simon, a fisherman like himself. He also came to hear 
the preaching of John the Baptist, who said to him: 
" We have found the Messiah." Afterwards he took 
him to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said thou art 
Simon, the son of Jona, then added that henceforth he 
should be called Cephas, that is Peter, a rock. 

Our Saviour was preparing for the future by giv- 
ing the name of Peter to that disciple on whom, as 
on a foundation, He would build the spiritual edifice of 
His Church. 18 

II, Philip and Bartholomew. — To these first three 

16 " It was about the tenth hour."— St. John, I. 39. St. John 
counts from the sixth hour in the morning, as the Jews often 
did after the captivity of Babylon. — Fouard. I, 156. 

17 *If the Evangelist reckoned the hour according to the Roman 
style, the tenth hour was 10 o'clock in the morning. According 
to the Hebrew style it would be 4 o'clock in the afternoon. — Spen- 
cer's New Trans.)' Translator. 

18 For the sense of these words, see the Confession of Peter 
later on. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 29 

disciples, Jesus added a fourth on the next day. Jesus 
found him by the wayside and simply said : " Follow 
me." Philip at once took his place behind his Lord. 

The little group again took the road from Galilee 
which passes through Samaria. They were probably 
in the fields of Bethel when Philip met Nathaniel, son 
of Tolmai. 19 " We have found Him of whom Moses 
and the prophets wrote/' said Philip — " Jesus, the Son 
of Joseph, the Nazarene." " Can any good come from 
Nazareth ? " asked Nathaniel. " Come and see," an- 
swered the other. Nathaniel went with him to Jesus. 
" Behold an Israelite, indeed," exclaimed Jesus looking 
upon him, " an Israelite in whom there is no guile." 
" How knowest thou me ? " asked the newcomer. " Be- 
fore Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig- 
tree, I saw thee," replied Jesus. Then Nathaniel 
cried out: " Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art 
the King of Israel." 

In the very place which saw the vision of Jacob, our 
Saviour said to His new disciples: "Amen, amen, I 
say to you, you shall see the heaven opened, and the 
angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son 
of Man." 20 

Such was the beginning of the Church. Jesus called 
a few simple men of good will around Him. Poor Him- 
self, He always turned to the poor as at Bethlehem. 21 
However, the Spirit of God would one day come down 
and enter the hearts of these weak, unlearned men and 
make them the means of converting the world. 

19 Bar-Tolmai, son of Tolmai. whence we have Bartholomew. 
— He was from Cana. where the site of his dwelling is still 
pointed out. 

20 Vision of Jacob.— Genesis, XXVIII, 12. 

21 Nathanael (Bartholomew) alone was educated and of easy 



30 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Wedding at Cana. 

st. john, ii. 

Three days after His departure from the Jordan, 22 
Jesus, with His disciples, came to Cana, 23 a small village 
not far from Nazareth. They had been invited to a 
marriage-feast. The Blessed Virgin was also there. 
Whilst they were at table the wine ran short. 
Mary remarked this to her son. Jesus alone knew 
the hour in which He would show forth His di- 
vine power. Yet His answer made Mary feel that 
something great was preparing. " Why do you ask 
Me, mother," 24 said He, " My hour is not yet come." 
Mary then told the waiters to do whatever He should 
command. 

After some minutes, Jesus ordered them to fill with 
water six large vessels which were generally used for 
washing. Then He bade them draw out and carry to 
the chief 25 steward. This man was astounded to find that 
it was wine, and of the finest quality. Great too was 
the surprise of those who had filled the water-pots, and 
their wonder soon spread throughout the whole assem- 

circumstances. Artists of the middle ages generally represent 
him with a rich mantle adorned with precious stones. 

22 The die tertia of St. John is even translated as " the third 
dav of the week." 

23 About three miles northeast of Nazareth. To-day called 
Kefr-Kenna, of 600 inhabitants — Guerin. Galilee. T - l^S. 

24 This is the sense of the Hebrew idiom : " Mulier" a term of 
respect and tenderness, can be translated " Mother." 

25 Arcliitrichlinus , a kind of guest-master or chief servant, who 
superintends the details of the banquet; or, perhaps, an invited 
pruest who took unon himself th^ rare of thpse things. — Diction- 
naire de la Bible de Vigouroux, Vo Architriclinus. 



m 



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03 



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LIFE OF CHRIST. 31 

bly. " This was the first miracle of Jesus/' says St. 
John; " He thus showed His glory, and His disciples 
believed in Him." Tradition holds that the husband 
of this marriage followed Jesus and became Simon (the 
Cananean), and that the wife became a companion of 
the Blessed Virgin. 26 



CHAPTER V. 

Capharnaum axd the Lake of Gexesaketh. 

After the miracle of Cana, St. John tells us that 
Jesus went down to Capharnaum with His mother, His 
brethern, 27 and His disciples; He remained here some 
time, probably six or seven weeks, preaching and work- 
ing miracles. 

Capharnaum rises on the western shore of Lake Gen- 
esareth, a little towards the north. Henceforth this is 
to be the chosen city of Jesus. He often made long 
sojourns in this place, doubtless in the house of St. 
Peter, and worked a great number of miracles ; He here 
healed the servant of the centurion, St. Peter's mother- 
in-law, a paralytic, one possessed of the devil, and 
raised Jairus' daughter to life. 

He often preached in the synagogue at Capharnaum. 

26 The Church of the Franciscans is supposed to be built on 
the site of the wedding-house. Recent researches have discov- 
ered, on this spot, the remains of a great church built by St. 
Helena. — A relic of the wedding-feast at Cana has just been 
found in Phocis. It is the marble stone which served as a table 
for our Lord. — See Bacnez, Manuel biblique, 337. 

27 By "brethren," the Gospels, following the genius of the 
Hebrew language, mean his cousins-german, James, Jude, Joseph, 
and Simon, sons of Cleophas (Alpheus) and of Mary, sister of 
the Blessed Virgin. — ■ Fouard, I, Appendix, V, and Ollivier, Les 

Amities de Jesus, Chap. III. 



32 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

The whole surrounding country too saw the presence 
of its Saviour. A short distance to the northwest was 
Chorozain; and to the south lay Bethsaida, the birth- 
place of Andrew, of Peter, of Philip, and of John. 
Then the rich plain of Grenesareth stretched out to the 
south of Bethsaida; and lower down was Magdala, the 
birthplace of Mary Magdalen, and Tiberias, a city 
built by Herod in honor of Tiberius. 28 

The Lake of Genesareth, also called the Sea of Tibe- 
rias, is about sixteen miles long and eight miles wide. 
It is formed by the Jordan in the crater of an extinct 
volcano, and is about 575 feet below the level of the 
Mediterranean Sea. Many a time has the boat of Jesus 
traversed this lake. Here -He stilled the tempest, and 
here caused the two miraculous draughts of fishes to be 
taken. He was wont to retire into the solitudes of its 
eastern shore to pray. The fertility of its neighbor- 
hood and its pleasing appearance have drawn upon it 
the name of Terrestrial Paradise. 

To-day instead of rich cities, smouldering ruins deck 
the borders of this lake; only a few fishermen's boats 
may be seen on its waters; turmoil and bustle have 
given place to solitude and silence. This is the desola- 
tion foretold by Jesus. 29 

28 Tiberias still exists and is called Thabarieh, The other . 
cities along the borders of the lake have so completely disap- 
peared that travellers are not agreed upon their sites. — Guerin, 
Galilee, I, 226. He identifies Capharnaum with Tell-Houm; 
Corozai'n with Kharbet-Kerazeh ; Bethsai'de with Kharbet Khan- 
el-Minieh; Magdala with El-Medjdel. 

29 St. Matthew, XI, 21-24. 



II. 



THE FIRST YEAR OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS, APRIL 27 — APRIL 28 
(YEAR OF ROME* 780, 781.) 



CHAPTER I. 

The First Passover at Jerusalem. 

I, The Pasch; the Sellers Driven from the Temple; 
St. John, II, 12-25. — After His first stay at Caphar- 
naum, Jesus joined the pilgrims from Galilee and 
went with them to Jerusalem. On His arrival in the 
Holy City, he went up into the Temple to pray. 

It was an old custom for merchants to enter the hall 
of the Temple where they sold oxen, sheep, and doves 
to those who wished to offer sacrifice; likewise the 
money-changers who supplied foreign Jews w T ith na- 
tional money; for none other would be taken as offer- 
ings. This caused great disorder and, indeed, pro- 
faned the sacred edifice. 

1 At sight of this, Jesus was angry. Plaiting a 
scourge with small cords, He drove out the sellers 
with their oxen and their sheep. In like manner, He 
cast out the changers, overturning their tables and 
pouring their bags of money on the floor. To those 
who sold doves, the offerings of the 'poor, He simply 

i Fretti, I, 326. 

3 33 . > ' 



34 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

said: " Take these things hence and make not the house 
of my Father a house of traffic." His disciples, sur- 
prised at first, soon remembered the words of the 
Psalm: "Zeal for Thy house hath devoured Me." 2 
They applied them to Jesus, and their faith in Him was 
strengthened. 

When the first moment of stupor had passed, the 
Scribes 3 and priests asked Jesus to show them a sign 
that He had a right to act thus. The day will come, 
Jesus answered, when you w T ill destroy this Temple 
and in three days I will raise it up." He spoke thus, 
in a hidden manner, of His own body, the true Holy 
of Holies, and of His Resurrection. 

The Jews grew angry at these words, for they did 
not understand their true meaning. " It took forty- 
six years of labor to build this Temple," 4 cried they, 
" and will you raise it up in three days ? " They de- 
spised Him for this answer, and, a little later, they 
brought it forth in another form as a crime against 
Him. Even the disciples did not grasp its meaning 
until after the Resurrection. 

II, Nicodemus; St. John, III, 1-21. — During the 
feast of the Pasch, Jesus wrought several miracles, and 
many believed in Him. Among those who were moved 

2 Psalms, LVIII, 10. 

3 The Scribes were originally appointed to transcribe the sacred 
text. After the captivity of Babylon, simple copyists as they 
were, they became doctors of the law, whose duty it was to inter- 
pret and teach the law. At the time of our Lord, they possessed 
much authority and generally much pride. 

4 These words are of capital importance in fixing the chro- 
nology of the Scripture. Herod the Great began to rebuild the 
Temple in the eighteenth year of his reign ( Josephus, Antiquities, 
XV, II, 1), the year of Rome 734. It then is 780 that the Jews 
uttered these words, and this date is that on which Jesus first 
attended the Pasch. Jesus was at this time " about thirty years 
of age," 749-780. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 35 

by his words and his actions was a Sanhedrite called 
Nicodemus, a man rich and learned, but timid. He 
came to our Saviour by night, and had a long talk with 
Him. Jesus spoke to him of being born again by water 
and the Holy Ghost, that is, of Baptism, without 
which he could not enter the kingdom of God; and 
spoke of the mysterious workings of the Holy Spirit 
who enlightens whomsoever He will. He granted him 
a glimpse of His Passion, and revealed to him the in- 
finite goodness of God. " As Moses lifted up the 
brazen serpent in the desert," said Jesus to him, " so 
must the Son of Man " 5 be lifted up that those who be- 
lieve in Him may not perish, but may have life ever- 
lasting. God so loved the world as to give it His only 
begotten Son — that the world might be saved by 
Him." He wished to draw Nicodemus to an open con- 
fession of faith. In ending their conversation, Jesus 
said: " He who acts according to the truth, comes to 
light." Notwithstanding all this, the small-souled 
jSTicodemus did not accept the faith as yet. However, 
three years later we find him speaking in favor of Jesus 
in the Sanhedrin. We see him also on Calvary seek- 
ing the lifeless body of his Master and his God. 

5 [Son of Man.] For this name and the names of our Saviour 
used in the Gospels, see Bacnez et Vigouroux, Manuel biblique, 
III, 656. 



36 LIFE OF CHRIST. 



CHAPTER II. 

Jesus in Judea — The Last Testimony of John the 
Baptist — His Imprisonment. 

I, Jesus in Judea; St. John, III, 23. — After the Pass- 
over, Jesus left Jerusalem and, together with His dis- 
ciples, travelled over the " land of Judea." By this 
name is meant the whole country which lies to the 
north of Jerusalem as far as Samaria and south as far 
as Idumea. Jesus spent eight months in this region 
(April-December),* preaching penance and announcing 
the coming of the kingdom of God. The people came 
to Him in crowds; and He had them baptized by His 
disciples. Nothing further is known of this long 
period. It was doubtless during these journeyings that 
Judas " Iscariot "* (man of Kerioth), 6 who was to be- 
come the traitor, took his place among the followers 
of Jesus as His disciple. 

II, The Last Testimony of John the Baptist. — 
Meanwhile, John the Baptist had departed from Beth- 
any on the Jordan and had gone to Oenon (the 
sources), near the village of Salina. He was still 
preaching and baptizing. Some were displeased to see 
the people, who came to Jesus, receive Baptism at the 
hands of His disciples. They complained of the mat- 
ter to John. But he, instead of heeding their com- 
plaints, took occasion to render a last testimony to 
Jesus: "I am not Christ,"" said he, "but am sent 
before Him. * * * He must increase but I must 
decrease.*" He compared Jesus to a bridegroom whose 

6TCeriotTi. n village of Judea, west of the Dead Sea; to-day 
called Keritei'n. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 37 

bride is the Nation of Israel and all humanity; he him- 
self being only a friend of the bridegroom in whose 
glory he is happy. " He who believes in the Son," he 
adds, " has life everlasting; but he who does not be- 
lieve in the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of 
God abides on him." 

Ill, The Precursor in Prison. — The Messiah has re- 
vealed Himself by his works; the Precursor may now 
disappear. John learned that Herod (Antiphas), te- 
trarch of Galilee, had put away his lawful wife, the 
daughter of Aretas, king of Petra, 7 and was living in 
sin with Herodias, his niece and sister-in-law, the wife 
of his brother Philip, who was still living. 7 

8 He went to Herod's palace at Tiberias, and chid 
him sternly for his conduct, telling him that it was 
not lawful for him to marry his brother's wife. 
Herod was seized with rage and presently had his sol- 
diers drag John as a prisoner to the fortress of Mach- 
eronta, east of the Dead Sea. He passed a year in this 
dungeon; then died a victim to the vengeance of Hero- 
dias. 

7 Dictionnaire de la Bible, V<> Aretas IV Philoderne. 

8 On the family of Herod the Great, and the marriage of Anti- 
phas, see Fouard, I, 211. 



38 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTER III. 
The Samaeitan Woman. 

The Pharisees began to grow uneasy at the success 
which followed the preaching of Jesns in Judea. They 
heard that He baptized greater numbers and made 
more converts than had John. Jesus, knowing 
these rumors and the onset which was brewing, thought 
it best to retire from Judea. So He went back to Gal- 
ilee. He took the shortest route, which was by Sa- 
maria. It was now the month of December. 9 

The people of Samaria, made up of both Jews and 
foreigners, had mingled idolatry with the worship of 
the true God, and had built a temple of their own on 
Mount Gerizim, and no longer went to Jerusalem for 
sacrifice. 

10 Samaritans and Jews despised each other. Jesus 
wished to announce the good news to these divided 
brothers and prepare to rekindle their friendship. 

At noon He came within sight of Sichar. He was 
weary; He sat down near JacoVs well while His 
disciples went into the town to buy bread. This was 
the well which the patriarch, Jacob, had dug and be- 
queathed to his son Joseph. Near by Abraham had 
pitched his tent and raised the first altar to Jehovah. 
This place recalls many biblical incidents. 

9 Soon Jesus will say to His apostles : " It is yet four months 
to the harvest." The sowing-time of Judea is the month of No- 
vember and the harvest is in April. Jesus passed " Jacob's 
well," on his return from Judea in December. 

10 The ancient sichem or roll of parchment, containing the 
five books of Moses and dating back to the fourth century B. C, 
is still preserved in the synagogue at Naplouse. It is known as 
the Samaritan Pentateuch. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 39 

While Jesus' thoughts were dwelling on these things 
of the past, a Samaritan woman from Sichar came to 
the well for water. Jesus wished to make this woman 
the means of converting her people, sinner though she 
was, and thus addressed her: " Give me to drink." 
But she replied in surprise : " How can you, a Jew, 
ask a Samaritan for a drink? You well know that 
Jews will have nothing to do with Samaritans." 

" If you knew the grace which God gives you," an- 
swered Jesus, " and who asks a drink of you, you would 
perhaps have asked Him, and He would have given 
you living water." — " But, sir, you have no bucket, 
and the well is deep; 11 where do you get that living 
water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who 
gave us the well, and who, together with his children 
and his cattle, drank therefrom ? " Jesus, knowing 
her thoughts, made answer: " Whosoever drinks of 
this water shall thirst again; but he who drinks of the 
water which I will give him shall never thirst again." 
" Sir, give me this water," said she, " that I may not 
thirst nor need to come here for water." She took 
His words in a material sense. But Jesus, wishing to 
set her aright, gave her light to see that He could read 
her inmost soul and that He knew her past life. The 
woman then knew that she was speaking to some one 
from God; so she brought forth the religious question 
which divided her people and the Jews. " Our fathers 
have adored on this mountain," said she, pointing to 
Gerizim, " and you Jews say that men must adore at 
Jerusalem." 

11 " Jacob's well " is to-day about seventy-five feet deep. It 
was formerly much deeper. — Guerin, La Samarie, I. 376. ' 



40 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

" Woman, believe me, answered Jesus," the hour is 
come in which you shall no longer adore the Father on 
this mountain nor in Jerusalem — the hour comes, it 
is come, in which the true adorers shall adore the 
Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the adorers 
whom the Father seeks. God is a spirit ; and they who 
adore Him must adore Him in spirit and in truth." 
This high teaching, this glorious news, touched the 
woman's heart and turned her thoughts to the Messiah, 
whom the Samaritans as well as the Jews expected as 
the one who would scatter all their doubts. " I 
know," said she, " that Christ, the Messiah, is to come; 
and when He comes He will teach us all things." Then 
Jesus said to her: "I, who speak to you, am the Mes- 
siah." 

The arrival of the disciples put an end to this mar- 
vellous speech. The Samaritan woman left her water- 
pot and ran to Sichar, crying out: " Come and see a 
man who has told me all that I have done. Is He not 
Christ? " Great crowds immediately set out for the 
well. 

Meanwhile, the disciples besought their Master to 
partake of some food; but Jesus answered that He had 
nourishment of which they knew nothing. The disci- 
ples turned about, asking one another if anyone had 
brought Him provisions. Jesus saw their mistake, and 
added: 

" My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me; and 
to fulfil His work." Then to make them shares in 
His labors and in His merits, He continued: " Do you 
not say it is yet four months to the harvest ? But I say 
to you, lift up your eyes and see the countries already 
white for the harvest." He meant the harvest of 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 41 

souls, for He pointed to the people of Sichar who were 
drawing near. They came and begged Him to stay 
with them. He spent two days in their midst. Many 
had already believed in Him through the word of the 
woman whom He had converted; but a far greatei 
number soon believed through His own words. Then 
they said to the woman: "We no longer believe on 
your word; for we ourselves have heard Him, and we 
know r that He is Christ, the Saviour of the world." 12 



CHAPTER IV. 

Jesus at Nazareth and at Cana. 

I, Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth. He is 
Driven from the City; St. Luke, IV, 16. — On leaving 
Sichar, Jesus continued His journey to Galilee. He 
preached in the synagogue and His fame spread 
throughout the whole country. He came to Nazareth, 
the home of His youth. The citizens, who had heard 
of the miracles He had worked at Capharnaum, re- 
ceived Him with eager curiosity. 

On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue. 13 

12 Over the well of Jacob now stand the ruins of an old 
Christian church. Sichar is probably a small hamlet situated 
some hundreds of yards from there. As to the Samaritan woman, 
tradition holds that she carried the Faith of Christ into Carthage, 
where her two sons were martyred. She herself died in prison 
at Rome. Her remains are kept in the basilica of " St. Paul- 
outside-the-walls." She is honored in this place on the 20th 
of March, under the name of St. Photina. 

13 The Jewish synagogue, of which the rites and arrangement 
served as a model for the first Christian churches, was a long 
hall opening towards Jerusalem. It had neither altar nor images. 



42 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Here he was given the honor of reading and explaining 
the lessons from the prophets. 

Unfolding the roll/ 4 He read the passage marked 
out. It was from Isaias: " The spirit of the Lord is 
upon Me because He hath anointed Me; He has sent 
Me to preach to the poor, to heal afflicted hearts, to 
announce a deliverance to captives, to give sight to the 
blind, to free those who groan in chains, to proclaim 
the pardon of the Lord and the day of His justice." 15 
Jesus stopped, folded the scroll, handed it to the ser- 
vant, and sat down. All eyes were riveted upon Him. 
He began by telling them that the passage of Scripture 
which they had just heard was, at that very moment, 
fulfilled. He spoke of the miracles which He had 
wrought, of the sight given to the blind, of the deaf 
who were made to hear, and of the good news spread 
broadcast. 16 They sat and listened in raptures; then 
began to ask one another: " Is not this Joseph's son? " 
They besought Him to work miracles for them as He 
had done at Capharnaum; but Jesus did not wish to 
satisfy vain curiosity; He showed them that He with- 
held His wonders for befitting times. 

Their admiration was quickly changed to anger. 
They drove Him from the synagogue and led Him to 
a neighboring cliff, whence they would hurl him head- 

At the end of the room, a wooden chest inclosed the sacred books. 
A lamp was kept continually burning before this chest. The 
part nearest this chest, or ark, as it was called, formed the 
sanctuary, where the first places were and the tribune of the 
lectors. The people occupied the nave. At first a passage was 
read from the Pentateuch, then the Prophecies were read. 

14 The Museum of Cluny, at Paris, is intended exclusively for 
Jewish productions. Here the " role " or volumen is found and 
most other articles used in religious worship. 

15 Isaias, LXI, 1, 2. 

16 This passage gave Ary Sheffer the inspiration for his beau- 
tiful painting, Christus Consolator. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 43 

long. But His hour was not yet come; so He passed 
through their midst and went His way. 17 

II, Jesus at Cana. He heals the son of the king's 
officer; St. John, IV, 46. — Jesus went from Nazareth 
to Cana. Here he met one of Herod's officers from 
Capharnaum, who begged Him to come and heal his 
son, then lying at the point of death. " Unless you 
see signs and wonders/' said Jesus, " you do not be- 
lieve." " Lord, come down before my poor child 
dies," replied the ruler. Jesus was touched by his sor- 
row and said: " Go, your child lives." The officer de- 
parted with firm faith, and as he drew near the city, 
he met his servants who told him that his son was well. 
He found that the boy had begun to grow better at the 
very time in which he spoke to Jesus. He and his 
whole family believed in Jesus. 18 

17 At about a mile and a quarter south of ancient Nazareth, 
almost opposite Thabor, is a stony peak elevated about 1,380 feet 
above the plain. It is called the " Rock of Precipitation." Ac- 
cording to tradition, the Jews conducted Jesus to this place. 

18 Tradition says that the officer of Capharnaum was Chusa, a 
servant of Herod (a descendant of the famous Aman). His wife, 
Johanna, soon after became a companion of the Blessed Virgin 
and the other holy women who followed Jesus. 



44 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEE V. 

Jesus in the Region of Genesaeeth. 

I, Definite Calling of the First Disciples; St. Mark, I, 
16. — From Cana Jesus went to the borders of Lake 
Genesareth, and took up His abode at Capharnaum. 
The disciples whom He had called at Bethany before 
had not followed Him constantly since that time. 
Jesus wished to attach them to Himself in a positive 
manner. Going then to Bethsaida, where they were, 
he met Simon Peter and Andrew, both busily casting 
their nets in the lake. " Come with me," said Jesus, 
" and I will make you fishers of men." They left their 
nets and followed Him without a moment's delay. 
Then Jesus saw James and John in another boat, with 
their father, Zebedee, mending their nets. At the call 
of their Master, they too left all things and followed 
him. 

II, The Miraculous Draught of Fishes; St. Luke, V, 
1. — Some days later, Jesus happened to be on the 
shore of the lake; Peter and the other disciples had 
been working with their nets the whole night and had 
caught nothing. They had just rowed their boats to 
shore. The crowd pressed about Jesus, eager to hear 
Him. Entering the boat with Peter He told him to 
draw back a little from the shore; thence he taught 
the people. 

When He had ceased speaking, He said to Peter: 
" Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for 
a draught." They cast out and caught so great a 
number of fish that their nets were breaking; and the 
two ships were filled. At this Peter threw himself at 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 45 

his Master's feet and exclaimed: " Depart from me, 
O, Lord, for I am a sinful man ! " The other disciples 
were equally affected. " Fear not/' answered Jesus, 
" henceforth thou shalt catch men." 

Fishers of men ! Such was the ministry Jesus had 
marked out for His disciples. Their first labor was a 
type of the noble mission which was in store for them. 
The lake is a symbol of the world. The great number 
of fish which they caught in their nets typified the 
great number of souls they would convert by their 
words. Jesus thus unveiled the future to them as a 
glorious and laborious time which awaited them. 

Indeed, on the day of Pentecost, the first casting of 
the net, Peter gathered in 3,000 souls, and at the 
second casting, he took 5,000. Souls always entered 
Peter's net. The other fishers were only his helpers. 
Of all the bishops, the successor of Peter alone seals his 
letters with the fisherman's ring. 19 

Ill, Miracles at Capharnaum; St. Mark, I. — In 
the meantime, our Lord had spent a Sabbath at Ca- 
pharnaum. A chapter of St. Mark shows us how much 
our Saviour generally did in one day. He attended 
the morning office in the synagogue. When the 
prayers were ended, He spoke ; and " they were aston- 
ished at His doctrine, for He taught as one having 
power and not as the Scribes were wont to do." 
Among them He found a man possessed of a devil. 20 

19 Frette, I, 407. Le carton de Raphael ; la peche miraculeuse. 

20 Possession among the ancient pagans and even the Jews 
was as common as it is to-day among infidels. It showed certain 
symptoms which would not permit it to be confounded with any 
natural malady, for instance, to speak and to understand un- 
known languages, to reveal secrets, to perform actions contrary 
to physical law. The Church combats it by prayer and exor- 
cisms. See Jaugey. Diet ionn aire apologetiqae de la foi catholique. 
Article Possession Diabolique. 



46 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

" Leave us," cried the man, or rather the demon 
from his mouth, " what do you want with us, Jesus of 
Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know 
who you are; the Holy One of God." " Speak no 
more," commanded Jesus, " and go out of the man." 
The devil obeyed. The man was lying down writhing 
in convulsions, but soon he arose free and unhurt. 
Those who saw this prodigy were astonished, and asked 
what was this power which even the evil spirits obeyed. 
Many of them believed in Jesus and praised His name 
in their own neighborhood. 

Jesus went from the synagogue to the house of 
Simon Peter, whose mother-in-law he then cured of a 
dangerous fever. " He took her by the hand," says 
St. Mark, " and at once the fever left her and she 
began to serve them." 

The sun had just set and the rest ordered by law 
was at an end. The inhabitants brought their sick to 
Jesus; and He, laying His hands upon them, healed 
them. By a single word, He delivered those pos- 
sessed. 

Jesus spent the whole night in bestowing favors of 
this kind, and when the dawn appeared, He went to a 
desert place to pray. There His disciples found Him 
later. " Everybody is seeking for you," said they to 
Him. 

" Come then," answered Jesus, who wished to escape 
the expression of public gratitude, " let us go into the 
neighboring towns and cities. I must preach there 
also; for I am come to preach." 21 

21 The Synagogue of Capharnaum was discovered in I860 by 
Captain Wilson. Its ruins give evidence of a magnificent edifice. 
See Guerin les a visitees et decrites. Galilee, I, 228, et Let Terr e 
Sainte, 327. On these ruins, are those of an old church sup- 
posed to have been built on the site of St. Peter's house. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 47 

CHAPTEE VI. 

Jesus at Galilee and at Capharnaum. 

I, First Mission in Galilee. The Healing of a Leper; 
St. Mark, I, 38. — Jesus spent the remainder of this 
first year, to the Pasch, going about Galilee teaching 
in the synagogues, preaching the Gospel, and healing 
the sick and infirm. We know but one deed of this 
mission, the healing of a leper. Lepers were banished 
from society and kept beyond the gates of the city. 22 
They wore a special garment and were obliged to warn 
passers-by of their presence. One of these unfortu- 
nates came and threw himself at Jesus' feet, crying: 
" Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." Jesus 
touched him and said: " I will. Be thou made clean." 
He then ordered him to do as the law bade them to do 
on becoming clean; and He also forbade him to tell 
anyone of the cure. But the leper blazoned it abroad 
as a mark of thanks to his benefactor; and the crowd 
grew larger and larger in the footsteps of Jesus. 

II, A paralytic cured at Capharnaum. Question as 
to the forgiveness of sins; St. Luke, Y. 17. — -Again at 
Capharnaum, Jesus continued to teach the people. 
One day as He was speaking, some Scribes and Phari- 
sees came to spy upon His actions. Certain men who 
carried a paralytic, not being able to make their way 
into the house through the crowd, went upon the roof, 
made an opening, and let down the sick man at Jesus' 

22 It is the same in Palestine to-day. — Laudrieux, Aux pays du 
Christ, 180, 321. In the middle ages, the lepers were also ban- 
ished. At the present time lepers are excluded from society 
wherever they are found. 



48 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

feet. Jesus saw the paralytic's heart and was touched 
by his great faith. " Son," said He, " thy sins are for- 
given thee." 

God alone could forgive sins; this was the first time 
man had taken that power upon himself, The Phari- 
sees were scandalized, and murmured within them- 
selves that He blasphemed. But Jesus knew their 
thoughts, and by working a great miracle, proved that 
He had divine power. 

" Which is easier to say," asked He, " thy sins are 
forgiven, or arise, take up thy bed, and walk ? " They 
were silent. Then Jesus turned to the sick man and 
said: " To show you that the Son of Man has power on 
earth to forgive sins, I say to thee, arise, take up thy 
bed and go into thy house." Immediately the para- 
lytic arose, took up his couch and went home glorifying 
God. 

Thus, our Divine Lord clearly showed that He had 
power to forgive sins. Later on we find Him bestow- 
ing this self-same power on His apostles. To this, the 
Sacrament of Penance traces its origin. 

Ill, Matthew called; St. Luke, V, 27. — Jesus adds 
a publican to the six disciples already chosen. 

The publicans were Jewish officers whose duty it 
was to collect taxes for the Romans. They were hated 
by their fellow countrymen because the tribute which 
they gathered was unlawful and always reminded them 
of bygone servitude. They were looked upon as trait- 
ors to their country, as ungodly men and apostates. 
They were scorned like criminals or pagans. 

Jesus went among these outcasts to select one of His 
apostles. 

The publican Levi had his office on the lake shore, 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 49 

where he gathered tax on all kinds of merchandise 
that passed by in caravans. Jesus saw him and simply 
uttered the words: " Follow me." Levi left all things 
and followed the Lord, who changed his name to Mat- 
thew, which means " gift of God." 

Doubtless the publican had already heard the preach- 
ing of Jesus; his prompt obedience is, indeed, a beauti- 
ful example of the true way to answer the call of 
Grace. St. Matthew was also to receive the glorious 
title of Evangelist. 
4 



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III. 



THE SECOND YEAR OF JESUS 1 MINISTRY, APRIL 28-29, A. D. 
(YEAR OF ROME, 781-782). 



CHAPTER I. 

The Second Pasch at Jerusalem. 

I, The Second Pasch. — Jesus was just entering 
upon the second year of his public life. As He had 
done the year before, He now joined a band of pilgrims 
and went to the Holy City for the feast of the Pass- 
over. This stay at Jerusalem is marked by the cure of 
the infirm man at the pool of Bethesda. 

II, The Pool of Bethesda; St. John, V, 2.— There 
was, near the Sheep gate/ a pool called Bethesda which 
in Hebrew means " house of mercy." 

It had five porches; 2 upon these lay a great number 
of sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the mov- 
ing of the water. An angel of the Lord came down 

1 The Sheep Gate is east of Jerusalem near the Temple. Some 
translate according to the Greek that there " was near the pool of 
Prqbatica (or of sheep) a pool called Bethesda." The pool of 
Probatiea is identical with the Birket-Israil, or ancient pool. 

2 The pool of Bethesda was northwest of St. Anne's Church. It 
was found by M. Mauss in 1875; the architect of St. Anne's. — See 
Baron Lud. de Vaux. La piscine de Bethesda. 

51 



52 LIFE OF CHKIST. 

at certain times and stirred the waters. He that went 
into the water first after the angel's coming was cnred 
of his infirmity, whatever it might be. 

A poor man was lying there who had been afflicted 
for thirty-eight years. Having no one to help him into 
the water at the favorable moment, he waited hope- 
lessly. " Wilt thou be made whole ? " asked Jesus, 
moved with pity. " Sir," said the unhappy man, " I 
have no one to put me into the pool when the water 
is troubled; and when I try to go alone, another goes 
before me." " Arise, take up thy bed and walk," said 
Jesus. The sick man took his bed and went away en- 
tirely cured. Jesus had already hid himself in the 
midst of the crowd. 

Ill, The Question of The Sabbath. — This was the 
Sabbath-day. The law had always been strict, but the 
Pharisees had added many things and had drawn up 
the most ridiculous rules; as for instance, not to carry 
the least burden, even to a fan, not to write two letters 
of the alphabet at one time, not to gather any fruit or 
vegetables, not to kill an insect. 8 The jealous-hearted 

3 The Pharisees had drawn up as many as 1,279 rules which 
it was necessary to observe to sanctify the Sabbath day properly. 
Behold some of the prohibitions imposed by them; they srive some 
idea of the rigor in which they interpreted the law : " The blind 
were forbidden to use their cane on the Sabbath; every Jew was 
forbidden to carry the least burden, even a fan, a false tooth, a 
ribbon not sewed on the clothing. They were forbidden to write 
two letters of the alphabet in succession; to kill an insect that 
bothered you; to rub a rheumatic member; to bathe an aching 
tooth with vinegar, much less to swallow the liquid. They were 
forbidden to throw more grain to the poultry than they could 
consume, lest the remainder should grow and would seem to 
have been sown on that day. If Friday evening came upon them 
whilst making a journey, though they were in the woods or in 
the fields, exposed to wind or rain, or attacked by robbers, they 
were forbidden to pursue their way. * * * Shammai passed 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 53 

Scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of violating the 
Sabbath by ordering the man to carry his bed. Our 
Saviour turned their murmurs into a clear proof of His 
•Divinity. He declared that He was the Son of God 
and equal to Him; He cited His miracles as a mark of 
His Divinity and referred His opposers to the Scrip- 
tures, which gave testimony of Him. So, if He was 
God, did He not have command over the Sabbath? 
These words served only to enrage the Jews; and they 
sought to put Him to death. 



CHAPTEE II. 

Jesus Returns to Galilee. 

I, Plucking the Wheat; St. Luke, VI, 1.— After 
the Pasch, Jesus went back to Galilee. The next Sab- 
bath He was with His disciples a short distance from 
Cana. Being hungry, the disciples plucked some wheat, 
which they ate after rubbing it in their hands and blow- 
ing out the chaff. Some Scribes and Pharisees were 
mingled in the crowd that followed Jesus. They 
watched His every action and tried to turn it to a fault. 
They now declared that this deed was unlawful on the 
Sabbath. 

Jesus took the part of His disciples thus unjustly 
accused. He told these rigid critics that He preferred 

all his time meditating by what practices he could observe the 
sacred repose most rigorously." Fouard, I, 275, note. — It is 
known that the Pharisees pressed the rigor so far as to allow 
themselves to drown rather than save their l\fe on the Sabbath 
dav. 



54 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

mercy to sacrifice, that is, goodness of heart rather 
than too much strict observance. He told them that 
the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the 
Sabbath, and that He, the Son of Man, was Lord of 
the Sabbath. 

II, He did not condemn the Sabbath, but merely the 
foolish prohibitions men had added to the command- 
ment of the Lord. 3 

III, The Man With a Withered Hand; St, Luke, VI, 
6. — Some time afterwards, also on the Sabbath, Jesus 
went into a synagogue. Among those present was a 
man with a withered hand. The Scribes and Pharisees 
were again present, perhaps the same that were in the 
fields near Cana; they wondered whether He dared heal 
a sick man on the Sabbath. Jesus knew their thoughts; 
so He said to the man: " Arise and stand forth in the 
midst of the crowd. " Then turning to His enemies: 
" I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day, 
or is it not ? May we save a creature of God or must 
he perish ? " As they made no answer, He answered 
for them: " What man is there among you if he own 
but one sheep, and that sheep falls into a pit on the 
Sabbath-day, will he not think it lawful to draw him 
out at once ? But how much better is a man than a 
sheep ! It is then lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 
" Stretch forth your hand," said He to the man. He 
did so, and it became as sound as the other. The Phari- 
sees, angry at their defeat, left the synagogue and 
plotted to do away with Jesus. 

3 A field, northeast of Cana, near the hamlet of Touran, is 
called " Field of the Ears." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 55 



CHAPTEE III. 

Jesus at Capharnaum and Galilee — The Twelve 

Apostles. 

The Twelve Apostles Chosen; St. Luke, VI, 12. — 
To avoid the wicked Pharisees, Jesus went to Caphar- 
naum, His usual dwelling-place on the border of Gen- 
esareth. People came to Him from all the neighbor- 
ing regions, from Galilee, from Judea, from Jerusalem, 
from Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan. He spent 
several days preaching to these multitudes, healing 
their sick, and delivering the possessed. Then He 
sought the solitude of a neighboring mountain, where 
He passed the night in prayer. He thus prepared Him- 
self for the most important actions of His ministry. 
Tradition points out a hill with a double summit, the 
Horns of Hattin (Koroun-Hattin), as the place where 
Jesus prayed this night. It is about five miles west of 
the Lake of Tiberias. Christians have called it the 
Mount of Beatitudes, in memory of the sermon which 
our Lord preached thereon. 

The next morning, Jesus called His disciples, who 
slept at some distance from Him, and chose twelve of 
them whom He named apostles. 

Of the twelve, seven have already been mentioned; 
Simon-Peter and Andrew, sons of Jonah, James and 
John, sons of Zebedee; and Philip; these five were all 
from Bethsaida; Bartholomew, of Cana; Matthew, the 
publican, of Capharnaum. The five others are James, 
the Minor, and Jude, cousins of our Saviour; Thomas 
and Simon, of Cana; Judas, the man of Kerioth 



56 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

(Iscariot), the only one who came from Judea; all the 
others were from Galilee. 4 

AH, except Bartholomew, were from the laboring 
class of people, fishermen, unlearned and unknown. 
Such were the men whom Jesus took for his daily com- 
panions, and in whom He was to confide the great work 
of founding His Church. Yet He would make them 
new men by sending the Holy Ghost upon them. 



CHAPTER IV. 
The Sermon on the Mount. 5 

I, The Beatitudes; St. Matthew, V.— The Hill of 
Hattin, on which Jesus prayed, is about 750 feet high 
on the north side, towards the valley of Oued-el-Hamam, 
Between its two peaks, which are about 400 paces 
apart, is an uneven plateau. When Jesus came down 
from the cliff, He found a great crowd awaiting Him 
in this place. 6 First of all, He healed the sick and 

4 The Evangelists always group the apostles in three series : 
lo Simon-Peter, 2<> Philip, 3° James ( son of Al- 

pheus or the Minor 
Andrew, Bartholomew, Simon (of Cana), 

James (son Thomas,, Jude, 

of Zebedee)^ 
John, Matthew, Judas. 

5 Boussuet, in his Meditations sur FEvangile, has given an 
admirable commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, and especi- 
ally on the Beautitudes and the Our Father. 

6 This description (Guerin, Galilee, I, 193) reconciles the ac- 
counts of St. Matthew and St. Luke, the former of whom places 
the Sermon on a Mountain, while the latter places it on the plain 
in loco compestri. This plain was the plateau between the two 
summits. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 57 

delivered the possessed, then He sat down to teach. 
The Gospels have kept the sweet words wilich fell from 
His lips on this occasion. They form the Sermon on 
the Mount. 

Jesus began by giving out the eight Beatitudes; the 
first time the world had ever heard them. 

Blessed are the pure in spirit, for theirs is the King- 
dom of Heaven. 

Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. 

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com- 
forted. 

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, 
for they shall have their fill. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy, 

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called 
the children of God. 

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice 
sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

To this recital Jesus added this terrible anathema, as 
if to make His meaning clearer : " Woe to you who are 
rich, for you have your consolation. Woe to you who 
are filled, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who 
laugh, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you 
when men shall praise you, for your fathers gave praise 
to the false prophets. " 

This was a complete overthrow of worldly, and even 
Jewish sentiments on this subject. Jesus brought forth 
a new doctrine and, as it were, a new theory of good 
which men would find henceforth in self-denial, in 
trials, and in patient suffering for right and justice. 

II, The Our Father; St. Matthew, VI, 9.— As yet 
man had no fixed form of prayer. The Jews them- 



58 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

selves went much amiss in prayer; it often became mere 
show; the Eabbis wanted long prayers and a multitude 
of words. " When you pray," said Jesus, " be not as 
the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the syna- 
gogues and on the street-corners before the eyes of 
men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their 
reward. But you; when you pray, enter your room, 
shut the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And 
your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When 
you pray, do not speak at great length as the heathens 
do; they think that they will be heard on account of 
the abundance of their words. Be not like them for 
your Father knows, before you ask, what is needful for 
you. But pray after this manner: " Our Father, who 
art in Heaven; hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom 
come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven; 
give us this day our daily bread; 7 and forgive us our 
trespasses as we forgive also those who trespass against 
us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us 
from evil." Amen. 

This new prayer was simple, but complete. For the 
first time, man called God his Father. He must forget 
himself to think first of God and His glory. He ends 
by naming a few of his true needs. The true form of 
prayer has been given; it suffices for all; and man, 
whatever be his condition, can never ask for more. 

Ill, Trust in Providence; St. Matthew, VI, 25. — 
After this, Jesus, in the simplest terms, and with the 
most familiar comparisons, urged them to trust firmly 
in Divine Providence : " Do not worry for your life 

7 An allusion to the custom in Palestine of preparing only suf- 
ficient bread for one day. None of it is kept for the morrow. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 59 

as to what you shall eat, or for your body as to what 
you shall wear. * * * See the birds of the air; 
they neither sow nor reap, yet your Heavenly Father 
feeds them. Are you not much better than they? 
And which of you, howsoever he may try, can add one 
moment to the length of his life ? 8 

. And why are you bothered about raiment? Con- 
sider how the lilies of the field grow; s they neither labor 
nor spin. And yet, I tell you, not even Solomon in all 
his glory was clothed as one of these. If, then, God 
so clothes the grass of the field which blooms to-day 
and to-morrow is cast into the fire, how much more 
will he do for you, O you of little faith ! * * * 
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice, 
and all these things will be added unto you. Be not 
worried for the morrow; the morrow will worry for it- 
self. Each day's trouble is enough for that day." a 

IV, Reconciliation; the Love of Enemies. — Jesus 
gave a new teaching about reconciliation and the man- 
ner of acting towards enemies, one which had never be- 
fore been heard. " If, when you take your offering to 
the altar," said He, you remember that your brother 
has anything against you, leave your offering before the 
altar, and go first to be reconciled to your brother; 
then come and offer your gift. You have heard it said: 
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 10 But I 

8 The Greek text (St. Matthew, VI, 27), gives this translation. 
See Fouard, I, 315 a note I. 

9 " By lilies of the field is not meant what we call lilies, but 
anemones (wind-flowers) and tulips, which cover the fields of 
Judea in the spring." — Fouard, I, 315. 

(a)" Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof." — Douay edition. 

10 " Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, wound for wound." — Exodus, 
XXI, 24. " As he hath done, so shall it be done unto him," 
— Leviticus, XXIV, 19, and also Deuteronomy, XIX, 21. 



60 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

say, do not resist evil. If one strike you on the right 
cheek, turn the left to him also. If a man call you 
to court to take your coat, let him have your cloak also. 
If a third force you to go a mile with him, go with him 
two more. Give to him who begs, and lend to him 
who borrows. 

You know that it was said: Love your neighbor and 
hate your enemy. 11 But I say: Love your enemies; 
do good to those who hate you; pray for those who 
persecute you and calumniate you. Thus you will be 
children of your Father in Heaven, who makes the sun 
rise on both the good and the wicked, and makes the 
rain fall on both the just man and the sinner." In fine, 
He concluded: "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father 
is perfect." 

V, Comparisons and Expressions; St. Matthew, Y, 
VI, VII. — Our Lord used many comparisons and ex- 
pressions in His teachings which have found place in 
the language of every Christian nation. " You are the 
salt of the earth," said He to His disciples, " but if the 
salt lose its savor, how shall it be salted ? It is good 
for nothing more than to be cast out and to be trodden 
on by men. You are the light of the world. When 
men light a candle, they do not put it under a bushel, 
but on a candlestick, 12 to give* light to all those who 
are in the house." He also spoke of plucking out the 
eye and cutting off the hand rather than let the whole 
body perish; of not letting the left hand know what the 

11 Our Lord here alludes to the order which God gave to the 
Israelites to destroy the Amalekites. — Deuteronomy, XXV, 19. 

12 The candlestick ( or candelabrum ) was a pedestal on which 
the lamp was placed. With the poor it was of wood; but with 
the rich it was of precious metal richly adorned.— See Gubl et 
Koner, La vie antique, Rome, 257. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 61 

right hand does; of seeing the mote in another's eye 
and not the beam in our own; 13 of the blind leading the 
blind and both falling into the ditch. 

Then, He added: " Enter in at the narrow gate; for 
wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to 
destruction, and many enter there. How narrow is the 
gate and how straight is the way that leads to life, and 
how few find it ! A good tree brings forth good fruit, 
and an evil tree brings forth evil fruit. Every tree that 
does not bring forth good fruit shall be cut down and 
cast into the fire. Do not give what is holy to the 
dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they train- 
pie them under foot, and turn upon you and tear you. 
Judge not (rashly) and you shall not be judged. Do 
unto others as you would have them do unto you. 

Finally, He said that He had come to fulfil the law 
and guard not only the act but even the thought which 
brought it forth. He declared that marriage cannot be 
broken; and that those alone who do the will of God 
below can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Such is the sermon on the Mount. It is a summary 
of all the moral teachings of Christ. Pagan wisdom 
and Jewish moral precepts are poor indeed when viewed 
beside this high doctrine. 

Jesus brought to clearest light what the former had 
seen only in a faint glimmering; he finished what the 
latter had only roughly sketched out. " Consider the 
teaching of Christ," says Bossuet, " It is so beautiful, 
so sound that it is the admiration of all nations. For 
who does not admire purity, sublimity, and power ! It 
has converted the world; it has peopled the deserts; it 

13 " Why do you see a straw ? There is a beam in your own 
eye and you do not see it." — Bossuet, Med. Sur Y Ev. 28^ journee. 



62 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

has worked wonders to millions of martyrs of all ages, 
and conditions, so as to make them give up their very 
life's blood. It has made riches and pleasures despic- 
able; and through it the honors of the world have lost 
their splendor." 14 

" We bow low/' says Pere Didon, " before this 
monument of divine power and harmony which towers 
over all, and which raises Jesus above all other masters. 
Each century adds to the height of this monument; as 
the crowd of Galileans admired it, so men of to-day 
gaze upon it in unmistaken admiration. They look 
upon it and gain new strength; it shows them the be- 
ginning of the way; it is a towering pyramid in the 
midst of the dusty desert of humanity." 15 

14 Meditations sur P Evangele, 47 e journee. 

15 Didon' s Life of Christ, I, 338. 



LIFE OF CHKIST. 63 

CHAPTEE V. 

Capharnaum and Naim, 

I, The Servant of the Centurion from Capharnaum; 
St. Luke, VII. — Jesus eame down from the mountain 
and went to Capharnaum with a great train of follow- 
ers. A touching miracle marks the progress of the 
journey. The Roman centurion who guarded the post 
of Capharnaum had a slave who was sick and suffering 
bitter agony. Contrary to the manner of the Romans, 
this man was much attached to his slaves, and treated 
them with much kindness. He besought the Ancients 
of the city to intercede for him with Jesus. They will- 
ingly agreed to do all in their power for this generous 
man; for he, though a pagan, had built a grand syna- 
gogue for them. 16 " I will come and heal him," said 
Jesus to these men when they came to him. But, as 
He drew near the house, the humble centurion cast 
himself at His feet and exclaimed: " Lord, I am not 
worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but 
only say the word and my servant shall be healed." 
He added other words which served also to show his 
firm faith; that faith which called forth from the Mas- 
ter, these beautiful words of praise: " Amen, I say to 
you, I have not found such great faith in Israel." 

As some of the Jews present were scandalized at 
these words, Jesus told them plainly that the time had 
come when pagans would replace the ungrateful chil- 
dren of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob ; and that the 
latter would be shut out from the banquet and cast 

16 See above, page 46 (note), on the Synagogue of Capharnaum. 



64 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

into exterior darkness. 17 He thus referred to Hell, the 
abode of darkness, in contrast with the brightness of 
Heaven. Then turning to the centurion, he said: 
" Go, and as you have believed so let it be done to you." 
The servant was healed at the same hour. 

This centurion, who deserved praise from Jesus, has 
the honor of showing the highest example of faith and 
humility to Christians of all ages. His words are re- 
peated by the priest every day at the Communion of 
the Holy Mass. 

The faithful Christian who receives his God in his 
breast, at Holy Communion, could not use sweeter 
words than those of the man at Capharnaum: " Lord, 
I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter into my 
breast, but say only the word and my soul shall be 
healed." 18 

II, The Widow's Son at Nairn; St. Luke, VII, 11.— 
The next day Jesus went to Nairn, 19 about twenty-two 
miles from Capharnaum. His disciples and a large 
crowd followed Him. When He reached the gate of 
the city, He met a funeral train; it bore the only son 
of a widowed mother. This poor mother walked sadly 
along before her lifeless son. Jesus was touched with 
pity at sight of her sorrow. " Weep not," said He, as 
He drew near and laid His hand upon the litter. He 
uncovered the young man's face. The pall-bearers 
stood still. The flute-players and hired mourners, who 

17 The Jews sent out invitations for the evening meal. To 
drive anyone from the feast was to make him go from a bril- 
liantly lighted hall to utter darkness without. 

18 See Mgr. Gaume, Biographies evangglique, he gives a curious 
treatise on the centurion of Capharnaum. 

19 Northeast of the plain of Esdrelon, or southwest of the lake, 
on the Djebel-Dahy. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 65 

always went with funerals, became silent. Then were 
heard the solemn words of our Saviour: " Young 
man, I say to you, arise. " At once the dead sat up and 
began to speak. Jesus then gave him to his mother. 

This miracle was worked before many witnesses. 
All were seized with fear. Fear always accompanied 
the sight of anything supernatural, with the Jews. 
Then they gave glory to God, saying: "A great 
prophet has risen amongst us; and God has visited His 
people/' 

Jesus had just made manifest, for the first time, His 
power over death. The circumstances which attended 
this miracle have caused its recital to be inserted in the 
office of St. Monica — that mother whose child was also 
brought back from death, not indeed from the death 
of the body, but from that death a thousand times more 
terrible, the death of the soul through sin. 20 

20 Nairn (Nam) is to-day but a miserable hamlet built on the 
ruins. A very ancient church, of which some remains are still 
to be seen, marks the place of the miracle, according to tradi- 
tion. — See Guerin, Galilee, I, 115. 



66 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Conversion of Mary Magdalen. 

The city of Nairn, which had just seen a body re- 
stored to life, was now to behold a miracle of far 
greater splendor; a soul was to be brought back from 
the horrible death of sin to the glorious life of grace. 

A rich Pharisee named Simon asked Jesus to dine 
with him. It was customary, in such cases, for the 
master of the house to have his servants wash the feet 
of his guest, whilst he himself kissed his cheek. 21 A 
box of scented oil was also poured on the visitor's head 
and feet. 22 Simon, through pride or through fear of 
the other Pharisees, neglected these duties of hospi- 
tality. Our Saviour, however, took His place at table. 

There was, at this time in Nairn, a young woman, 
Mary of Magdala, 22 sister of Lazarus and Martha. She 
was rich and beautiful, yet notorious for her bad life. 
Some days before, Jesus had delivered her from a devil 
with which she was possessed. 23 Learning now that 
Jesus was at Simon's house, she went thither and 
brought a box of perfumes 24 with her. For some mo- 
ments she stood aloof behind our Saviour's couch, 
then casting herself at His feet, she bathed them with 

21 The kiss, with the Orientals, has always been a mark of 
respect as well as of tenderness, and a mode of salutation. — 
Vigouroux, Dictionnaire de la Bible. 

22 Mary Magdalen, — Magdala: El Medjdel, on the eastern 
shore of Lake Genesareth, formerly a fortified city, is to-day a 
poor hamlet. 

23 Ollivier, Les Amities de Jesus, p. 224. 

24 The Jews gave free access to their dining-halls. — On the 
vase of perfumes, see page 137, note 55. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 67 

her tears, dried them with her long hair, and poured 
upon them the oils which she had brought. 25 

Those present began to be scandalized. Simon es- 
pecially wondered how his guest could allow such a 
sinner to come near him. But Jesus read his thoughts : 
" Simon, I have something to say to you." Speak, 
Master," added Simon. " A certain creditor had two 
debtors," began Jesus; " the one owed 500 pence, the 
other 50. And, as they were unable to pay the debt, 
he forgave them both. Which of the two loved him 
more ? " " Without doubt he to whom he forgave 
more," replied the Pharisee. " You have judged 
rightly," said Jesus. He then pointed out to Simon 
the difference between his conduct and that of the sin- 
ner Mary. He recalled the wilful neglect which he had 
shown Him, saying: " I came to your house, you gave 
me no water for my feet; but she has washed my feet 
with her tears and has wiped them with her hair. You 
gave me no kiss; but she has been kissing my feet since 
she came. You poured no ointment on my head, but 
she has anointed my feet. Wherefore, I say to you; 
many sins are forgiven her because she has loved much. 
But he, to whom less has been forgiven, loves less." 
Then turning to the humble sinner : " Your faith has 
brought you salvation ;• go in peace." 

Mary Magdalen is the model of penitents. Her ex- 
ample teaches us never to despair of heavenly mercy. 
Once restored to grace, she never again fell into her 
past errors. She was henceforth one of those who, 

25 The Jews reclined on couches while eating: they derived 
this custom from the Romans. The shoes were taken off before 
going to table, and the feet naturally extended outward from 
the couch. These details explain Mary Magdalen's action. 



68 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

with the Blessed Virgin, followed the footsteps of 
Jesus. We see her at Bethany, on Calvary, and at the 
Holy Sepulchre. Throughout she showed the purest 
affection for her Saviour by an ardent faith and devo- 
tion. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Second Mission in Galilee — Capharnaum. 

I, Second Mission in Galilee; St. Luke, VIII, 1. — 
Jesus set out from ISTaim and went towards Galilee, 
preaching in the towns and villages and to the crowds 
along the wayside. The twelve apostles were with 
Him. Some Galilean women — Mary Magdalen the 
convert, Johanna, wife of Herod's steward Chusa, 
Susanna of w T hom nothing is known, and several others 
— followed the little band and helped them by their 
money and their care. 

II, Capharnaum; St. Matthew, XII. — After this 
mission, Jesus went again to Capharnaum. In a house 
of this city, He cured a deaf-mute who was possessed. 
As the people were wrapped in admiration and hailed 
Jesus as the Son of David, the Scribes gratified their 
selfish pride by saying that He was possessed of a devil 
and that He cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub, 
the prince of devils. 26 In a few words, Jesus easily 
put them to naught: " Every kingdom divided against 
itself shall fall; and every city or house divided against 
itself shall not stand. If Satan cast out Satan, he is 

26 Baal-Zebub, Phoenician god (Etymology: fly-god) sun-god. — 
The Jews called it the "prince of demons." Vigouroux, Diction- 
naire de la Bible. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 69 

divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom 
stand ? " Out of revenge they then accused Him of 
having an unclean spirit. At this, our Saviour was 
wroth and threatened them with eternal death. He 
declared they had sinned against the Holy Ghost, 27 
which sin would neither be forgiven in this world nor 
in the next. It was clear they blasphemed the Son of 
God when they ignored his divinity after seeing His 
miracles. Their crime was, of its nature, unpardonable, 
and nothing less than a miracle of grace could save 
them. 

"Whilst Jesus was still speaking, word was brought 
that His mother and His brethren 28 stood without seek- 
ing Him. But He only asked: " Who is my mother, 
and who are my brethren ? " Then pointing to His dis- 
ciples around about, He added: "Behold my mother 
and my brethren; for he who does the will of my Father 
in Heaven is my brother, and my sister, and my 
mother." He did not deny His mother according to the 
flesh, for she indeed was one of those who did the will of 
the Father in Heaven. He wanted them to know that 
He had come to found a great spiritual family, and to 
build up anew the teaching of human brotherhood. 

Ill, Teaching of Parables. — Jesus now went to the 
shore of the lake. A great crowd joined Him later on. 
He entered a boat which was moored on the bank and 
sat down. Here He uttered His first parables. 28 

27 " Blasphemv against the Spirit. * * * Speaks against 
the Holy Spirit."— St. Matthew, XII, 31-32. 

28 For explanation of "brethren," see page 31, note 27. 

29 The parable is an allegory, a species of figurative language, 
with the most simple and well-known images to represent truths 
far removed from the common mind; it is a striking manner of 
teaching which arouses the spirits by something pleasing and 
makes the mind dwell on one thing by saying another. 



70 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Henceforth, He would often use this manner of speak- 
ing, so familiar to the Orientals, who loved the lan- 
guage of images and figures. Our Lord now thought 
it well to use this means of spreading His teachings; 
otherwise He might arouse the lurking hatred of His 
enemies. 

Of the parables which He used, doubtless a very 
great number, the Gospels give twenty-four. 

Viewed from a literary standpoint, they are graceful 
composition, equalled by none other. 30 They teem 
with diverse lessons and food for thought. 

IV, The Parable of the Sower; St. Matthew, XIII, 
8. — Before our Saviour's eyes, lay the rich plain which 
spread along, from the shores of the lake to the slopes 
of the neighboring hills, between Capharnaum and 
Bethsaida. 31 Doubtless some farmer was scattering 
his grain over the field at that moment. " Behold, the 
sower went forth to sow," said Jesus, stretching out 
His hands towards the plain, " and whilst he was sow- 

30 The Old Testament, except the riddles of Samson (Judges, 
XIV, 12) and the parables of Solomon (Kings, III, iv, 32 and; x, 
i) contains but two parables properly so called: that of Nathan 
to David, II Kings, xii, 1 ; and that the woman of Thecua, 
II Kings, xiv, 5. 

31 Stanley in his Sinai and Palestine, has thus described it : 
"A slight sinking of the hill unfolded the great parable to me 
in all its details and particulars with a perfect exactitude such 
as I do not remember to have found in any other place of Pales- 
tine. There was the way without hedge and without ditch, 
continually being trodden upon by horses, mules or men. The 
grain might fall on this way, either to the right or to the left. 
There also was the rich and fertile soil which produced abundant 
harvest, and which distinguished this plain and its neighborhood 
from the slopes going down toward the lake. There also was 
the stony ground appearing in places across the fertile plain. 
There, finally, were the high bushes and thorns, called nabk, from 
which tradition says the Holy Crown was plaited." Stanley 
places this landscape a little below Tell-Houm. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 7l 

ing, some fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air 
coming, ate it up. Some fell upon stony ground, 
where it had not much earth; it sprung up quickly be- 
cause it had no depth of earth. 32 But when the sun 
rose up, it was burned and withered away because it 
had no root. Some fell among thorns; and the thorns 
grew up and choked it. Some fell upon good ground; 
it >brought forth fruit, some a hundred-fold, some 
sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold." 

The apostles did not see the hidden meaning, and 
asked an explanation. In pity for their weakness, 
Jesus granted their request: 

The Church is a field in which Jesus sows broadcast. 
The seed falls everwhere, but not all are equally pre- 
pared to receive it and to bear fruit. There are 
hearts, hard like the beaten way, which will not open. 
There are fickle souls into which grace may readily 
enter, but never to any depth. There are worldly 
spirits in whom grace is smothered by the pursuits of 
the age. But those who hear the word, who receive it, 
who apply it to their souls, are blessed with grace and 
yield abundant fruits of salvation. 

V, The Parable of the Good Grain and the Cockle; 
St. Matthew, XIII, 24. — From that day forth, Jesus 
used parables and similitudes in speaking of the King- 
dom of God, and of His future Church. 

" The Kingdom of Heaven," said He, " is like a 
field in which the owner sowed good seed. But while 
that man's servants were asleep, his enemy came and 

32 The plant which has not enough soil for its root grows 
quickly, but does not last long. 



72 LIFE OF CHRIST. 



sowed cockle 33 among the wheat, and went away. 
"When the blade had sprung up and bore fruit, then 
they saw the cockle. And the servants said to the 
master: " Sir, did you not sow good seed in your 
field? Where did the cockle come from?" " An 
enemy sowed it there," answered he. They wished to 
go and gather it up, but the master said: "No; lest 
in gathering up the cockle you root up the wheat with 
it. Wait until the harvest; then I will say to the 
reapers: Gather up the cockle first, and bind into 
bundles to burn; then gather the wheat into my barn." 

Again the disciples did not see His meaning. That 
evening, when they had returned to their place of 
abode with Jesus, they asked Him what this parable 
meant. 

" The Son of Man sows the good seed," said Jesus. 
" The field is the world. The children of the King- 
dom are the good seed. The devil is the enemy who 
sow t s the cockle. The wicked are the cockle. The end 
of the world is the harvest. The angels are the reap- 
ers. As cockle is gathered up to be burned, so shall 
the wicked be at the end of time. The Son of Man 
will send His angels; and they will take scandal-givers 
and sinners and cast them into the fiery furnace. And 
in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth. Then the just will shine as the sun in the 
Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, 
let him hear." 

VI, Other Parables; St. Matthew, XIII. — Jesus 



33 Cockle belongs to the gramineous family. There are three 
kinds of cockle, two of which are useful, but the third is the 
plague of fields. Its stem resembles that of wheat before the 
grain is formed. 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 73 

had told how He would form His Church and what 
hardships 'it would meet with in its course. He com- 
pared it to a grain of mustard seed, which, though it 
is one of the smallest seeds, yet it becomes a tree 34 in 
which the birds of the air may build their nests. 
Again, He compared it to the leaven which made all 
leaven. To show them the value of Heaven, He com- 
pared it to a treasure: 

" The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure, hidden 
in a field, which a man found, put it back in its hiding 
place; then went, sold all his goods and bought the 
field." And again: " The Kingdom of Heaven is like 
the precious pearl which the merchant isaw on his 
travels. He went back and sold all that he had and 
bought it." 

Then Jesus drew a likeness from the fishing-net, with 
which most of His hearers were very familiar. He 
spoke of the different kinds of fish which fill the net. 
The fisher sits on the shore and chooses the good for 
his vessels, but casts away the bad. So will it be at 
the end of the world. The angels will go out and sep- 
arate the wicked from the just and cast them into the 
fiery furnace. 

These images, so simple and familiar to the crowds 
that heard them, to-day are meditated on and studied 
by the most learned men. " Most of them are known 
by memory; the whole human race knows and admires 
them; the child lisps over them; the man dwells on 
them in thought; the unlearned understand them; the 
philosopher finds in them resplendent light. 85 

34 The mustard plant grows to a height of ten feet on the 
banks of the River Jordan. 

35 Didon's Life of Christ, I, 365. 



74 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

\ 

CHAPTEK VIII. 

The Tempest Stilled — The Possessed of Gerasa — - 
Jairtts' Daughter Raised to Life (at Caphar- 
naum), and the Infirm Man Cured. 

I, The Tempest Stilled; St. Mark, IV, 35.— We have 
already seen the power of Jesus exercised in diverse 
ways, but always either to cure the afflicted or to re- 
call sinners to God. Now it is about to show itself 
upon the elements to prove that Jesus is indeed the 
Sovereign Master over all nature. 36 Wishing to escape 
the rude curiosity of the crowd, Jesus asked His disci- 
ples one evening to take Him across the lake to the 
quiet of Perea. They set sail at once. Several other 
boats followed them. 

Jesus was weary and slept in the stern of the boat, 
resting His head on the pilot's cushion. Suddenly, as 
they drew near land, 37 a storm arose. 

The waves grew high and dangerous and splashed 
into the boat. Jesus slept on. Their peril was fright- 
ful; the boat was tossed roughly about by the angry 
wind and waves. At last the trembling disciples cried 
out: " Lord, save us; we perish." 

Jesus, awaking, heeded not the danger at first. 
" Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith," He said. 

36 Of the twenty-eight miracles related in the Gospels, and 
which are but a small portion of all that our Lord wrought, 
ten are in behalf of nature, fifteen for the sick, and three for 
the dead. Besides these, our Lord seven times delivered the 
possessed. Manuel biblique, 330 et 336. 

37 See, for example, Les recits due pelerin, by l'Abbe Letremble, 
II, 295. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 75 

Then turning to the furious sea: " Peace, be still." 
Immediately the wind ceased, and there came a great 
calm. 

The disciples were filled with fear. " Who is this 
man ? " said they, one to another, " He commands the 
wind and the sea, and they obey Him." 

This glorious miracle was the symbol of a scene 
which would often take place in the future. The 
Church was destined to be tempest-tossed by wicked 
passions; yet her Divine Founder would always save 
her from shipwreck. Pere Didon has put this thought 
into beautiful words: " The Church is Peter's boat 
which bears Christ and His people. It goes, in the 
evening of time, to the eternal shore, passing over this 
tempestuous world. Unseen Jesus seems to sleep. 

We pray to Him; we call on Him. He awakes. 
He chides us for our fear. His sweet presence is the 
soul of peace. He commands our sufferings and our 
trials as He did the sea; and one powerful word from 
His lips, makes all peaceful and quiet. A cry of love 
and adoration rises from the sea which he has just re- 
stored to quietude. In this great calm, the boat, filled 
with joyous cries, glides steadily on its way. Jesus is 
God. He rules over the wickedness of men and 
thwarts their base designs against His holy Church." 88 

II, Cure of the Possessed at Gerasa; St. Mark, V; St. 
Matthew, YIII, 28. — The time was rife with great 
miracles. Jesus landed on the eastern shore of the 
lake near Gerasa. 39 Here he met two men who were 
possessed of devils. They dwelt in caves along the 

38Didoirs Life of Christ, I, 381. 

39 To-day Kharbet (ruined), Kersa. — See Guerin, Galilee, I, 
322. 



76 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

water's edge. One of them was terrible in his fury. 
He broke all fetters and chains, and no one dared go 
near him. Running out before Jesus, he fell down at 
His feet. " What have I to do with you, Jesus, the 
Son of the Most High ? " cried the demon from his 
mouth; " Have you come to torment us before the 
time ? " 

" What is thy name ? " asked Jesus. " My name is 
Legion; for we are many/' came the response. Forced 
to leave the man, the devils asked Jesus to send them 
into a herd of swine near by. He did so. At once 
the demons seized upon the swine and they, in their 
fury, rushed headlong into the lake and were drowned 

— a number of about 2,000. 40 

The terrified Gerasens besought Jesus to remain 
with them. He left them, leaving the two demoniacs, 
whom he had cured, to bear witness of Him. 

Ill, Jarius' Daughter Raised to Life, and the Infirm 
Woman Healed; St. Matthew, IX, 8; St. Mark, V, 30. 

— Jesus stayed but a short time on the eastern border 
of the lake. On his return to Capharnaum, He dined 
with His Apostle Levi, together with several publicans. 
Some Pharisees, who chanced to see Him, reproved 
Him for His familiarity with such despised and un- 
worthy men. Jesus answered: "I am not come to 
call the just, but sinners." Consoling words which will 
ever arouse our waning courage. 

During the repast, a certain ruler of Capharnaum 
entered. 

40 Eusebius, bishop of Cesarea, who visited these places in 
295, says that the inhabitants pointed out to him the heights 
from which the swine were precipitated into the lake. The 
tradition of the miracle is still preserved there. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 77 

It was Jairus, the chief of the synagogue. Falling 
down before Jesus, he besought Him thus: " Lord, my 
only daughter is dying; but come, lay your hand upon 
her and she shall live." Jesus arose immediately and 
followed the sorrowing father. 

A woman, who had been troubled with a disease for 
twelve years, was in the crowd. In her humility, she 
thought within herself: " If I but touch His garment, 
I shall be healed." She drew near to Jesus and 
touched the hem of His cloak. Jesus turned and asked 
who had touched Him. The poor woman, all trem- 
bling, cast herself at His feet and confessed that she 
had done so. " My daughter/' came the sweet tones of 
Jesus/' thy faith has saved thee: go in peace." 41 

As Jesus was speaking, the servants of Jairus came 
and said to Him: "Tour daughter is dead. Why 
trouble the Master further." Then Jesus said to the 
weeping father: " Fear not; only have confidence." 

When they reached the house, they found the child 
wrapped in linens and already laid out. There was 
great weeping and mourning on all sides. Jesus sent 
all from the room, except the father and mother, and 
three of his disciples, Peter, James and John. Then, 
as they gazed at Him, He took the girl by the hand, and 
said: " Talitha, koumi," 42 that is, "young woman, 

41 Tradition calls this woman Veronica without confounding 
her with Veronica of the Way of the Cross. On her return home, 
to Ceserea Philippi, she had a groupe in bronze made, which 
represented her prostrated at the feet of Jesus. 

According to Theophanus (Chronographie, p. 41), a plant 
which grew around the statue had the power of healing all mal- 
adies since its stem had touched the hem of Jesus' garment. This 
statue stood in place for four centuries. Julian the Apostate 
caused it to be destroyed. Eusebius. Glycas and Theophanus 
speak of it. — See Guerin, Galilee, II, 318. 

42 These two words, used by our Lord and the apostles, belong 
to the Armenian language which the Jews spoke. 



78 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

arise. " Immediately the girl stood up and walked 
about. She was about twelve years of age. 

This was the second resurrection brought about by 
Jesus. He thus prepared the minds of the people for 
the miracle of His own Resurrection. His power over 
death was made manifest to all. 



CHAPTEE IX. 
Jesus in Galilee — The Apostolate. 

I, Jesus at Nazareth. Third Mission in Galilee; St. 
Mark, VI; St. Matthew, IX. — Jesus now undertakes 
His third and last mission in Galilee. He went first 
to Xazareth. On the Sabbath, He taught in the syna- 
gogue, but, as in the preceding year, His words did not 
move His countrymen. They thought only of His ob- 
scure birth, His parentage, and His early labors as a 
carpenter. They could not realize His present posi- 
tion and were scandalized at the whole proceeding. 
Our Saviour, in the sadness of His heart, repeated His 
former words: " A prophet is honored everywhere ex- 
cept in his own country, in his own house, and among 
his own kindred. " So, after healing some of their 
sick, He went from their midst. 

A better welcome awaited Him in Galilee. Seeing 
their great desire to hear and learn, He exclaimed: 

" The harvest is great, but the laborers are few: 
Pray then the Lord to send forth laborers into his har- 
vest." This He said to show that His apostles were 
preparing to be His future missionaries. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 79 

II, The Apostolic Preaching; St. Matthew, X. — Our 
Saviour, in sending forth His apostles to preach, mapped 
out for them not only their own duties, but He also 
laid down rules for all Christian preaching of all future 
agds. They should first preach to ;the Jews; they 
should announce the coming of God's Kingdom; they 
should confirm the truth of their words by all kinds of 
miracles, casting out devils, healing the sick, and rais- 
ing the dead; they should set out without baggage, 
without gold or silver, without provisions, without a 
change of clothing, with only sandals on their feet; 
they should bring peace to all, being at the same time 
prudent and simple, imitating both the serpent and the 
dove. 

Jesus told them of the obstacles and persecutions 
which awaited them and those who, following their 
example, would become apostles of the truth: " I send 
you as sheep into the midst of wolves." Then He ex- 
horted them not to fear those who kill the body and 
have no power over the soul. 

But rather fear him who can send bodv and soul 
into (Hell) Gehenna. 43 

Our Saviour describes more minutely the persecu- 
tions which those who believe in Him will suffer. He 
said that His apostles would be delivered up to justice, 
would be beaten with rods in the synagogue, and would 
shed their blood for Him. Yet during these trials the 
Holy Spirit would be in them and would answer for 
them. "At the proper moment you will be inspired 
as to what to say," said He, " and it will no longer 

43 There is a valley southwest of Jerusalem called Ge-Hinnom 
or Hinnom, where dead bodies are left without burial. These 
are the fires consecrated to Moloch. The Gospels call it Gehenna, 
Gehenna ignis. 



80 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who 
speaks in you." How often has this promise been ful- 
filled ! How often have martyrs astonished the judge 
and the executioner by the firmness of their speech and 
the sublimity of their answers ! 

He did not urge them to run into dangers ; far other- 
wise. He told them to flee from one city to another 
and use every just means to save their lives. 

To banish from their minds all idea of an earthly 
kingdom and temporal happiness, He told them that He 
had come to bring the sword, not peace; that families 
would be divided; that the son would rise against the 
father, the daughter against the mother; and that men 
would be the enemies of their own household. " He 
who loves father or mother more than Me, and he who 
loves son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of 
Me," said He. "And he who does not take up his cross 
and follow Me, is not worthy of Me. He who finds his 
life shall lose it; and he who loses his life for Me 
saves it." 

Such were the instructions of Jesus to the future 
teachers of His Gospel. After eighteen hundred 
years, the apostles, who began in the school of Jesus, 
are spread over the whole world. Their only care is to 
teach light and truth. After eighteen hundred years, 
persecution so long perfidious and lurking, so long ' 
violent and bold, still labors in vain to destroy the good 
work of Christ's apostles. Dragged before courts, 
they spoke the words of the Holy Spirit, and died. 
But their death is fruitful. As Tertullian beautifully 
says: " The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians." 

When they had heard all this, the apostles went, two 
by two, on their first mission. The Christian Aposto- 
late was begun. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 81. 

CHAPTEE X. 

Death of John the Baptist. 
st. matthew, xiv. 

John the Baptist, as Ave have seen, was thrown into 
prison by Herod because he spoke publicly against the 
tetrarchs' vile union with Herodias. Through fear of 
the people, Herod did not dare put John to death. 
Herodias, however, did not so easily pardon the Precur- 
sor's boldness; she only awaited an opportunity to 
avenge herself. This opportunity came. 

John had been in prison just a year when Herodias, 
on the anniversary of her birth, gave a feast to the 
Roman tribunes and rulers in Galilee. 

Herodias' daughter, Salome, came to dance before 
the feast-makers. All were much delighted with her 
performance; and Herod was so much pleased that he 
promised, with an oath, to give whatever she should 
ask of him: " Whatsoever you ask," said he, "I will 
give it to you, though it be the half of my kingdom." 
The young girl w x ent to her mother to know what she 
should ask. " The head of John the Baptist," answered 
Herodias. Salome then took a plate from the table, 
and running to the king, she exclaimed: "I want you 
to give me John the Baptist's head on this plate." 

Herod was confused. He had sworn. A false shame 
kept him from breaking his rash promise. ISTot wishing 
to keep his step-daughter longer in suspense, he gave 
the fatal order. The executioner who always stood 
near him, according to the Oriental custom, went to 
the prison and soon returned with the head of the Man 
of God. He gave it to Salome, and she, putting it on 
6 



82 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

the plate she had taken from the table, carried it to 
her mother. 

It is said 44 that Herodias in her anger drew a golden 
pin from her hair and pierced the tongue that had re- 
proved her. 

She also had the body thrown into the swamps of 
Macheronta to be the food of dogs and birds of prey. 
But John's disciples were at hand. They took the body, 
laid it reverently in a grave, and went to tell the sad 
news to Jesus. 

Such was the tragic end of John the Baptist, of him 
whom Jesus had raised above all the prophets and just 
men of the Old Testament. 45 He preceded Jesus in 
death as he had so faithfully done as Precursor. 
" Such men," says Pere Didon, " could not end their 
career in peace and long life as did the prophets. A 
violent death agrees well with the role of prophets, the 
heroes of truth and justice, of right and virtue. They 
have fought gloriously for this triumph; they have 
beaten down vices; from their very helplessness, they 
have upbraided the powerful for their wickedness; with 
their blood and their lives they desire to seal their 
words, their courage, their love, and their mission. 
The world hates them, kills them; it thinks to drown 
their voice with justice, and thus bestows on them im- 
mortality. " To shed one's blood for God is the high- 
est eloquence." 46 

44 St. Jerome, Contra Rufinum, III, 42. — Mcephorus, I, 19. 

45 St. Luke, VII, 28, " There is not a greater prophet than 
John the Baptist." St. Matthew, XI, 11, "There hath not risen 
among them that are born of woman a greater than John the 
Baptist; yet he that is the lesser in the Kingdom of Heaven 
is greater than he." Each of these texts completes the other. 
The " Kingdom of Heaven " is the Church. — See Manuel biblique, 
272. 

46 A tradition of Midian says that a rich lady of Gaul, who 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 83 



CHAPTEE XI. 

The Multiplication of the Loaves. — Jesus Walks 
ox the Water. — The Holy Eucharist Foretold. 

The Multiplication of the Loaves; St. Luke, IX, 12. — 
The apostles returned from their first mission, weary of 
their long journeys and sorrowful for the- death of John 
the Baptist. Their Master wished them to rest a 
little; so entering with them into a boat, they went to 
the solitudes on the northern borders of the lake, 
east of Bethsaida Julias. 47 The crowd that followed 

was then in Palestine, made her way into the prison at the 
moment of the execution and took the martyr's blood in a silver 
vessel. She carried it to Bazor where it was venerated until the 
Revolution, when it disappeared with so many other precious 
relics. The saint's body was at first taken to Sebastia (ancient 
Samaria) where a church, now destroyed, was built to receive it. 
From Sebastia it was taken to Jerusalem, then to Alexandria. 
Several churches of Italy and France (Amicus), now possess 
some fragment of it. (The stone on which he was beheaded is 
shown at St. Mark's of Venice, and the plate on which his head 
was carried to Herodias is to be seen at Genes.) As to the per- 
sons who caused the death of the first martyr, they were speedily 
visited with divine vengeance. Herod thought our Saviour was 
John the Baptist returned to life: his victim was constantly be- 
fore him. Having offended Caligula, Herod was banished to the 
frontiers of Spain (probably at Saint Bertrand de Comminges), 
Herodias followed him thither and both ended their days in dis- 
grace and oblivion. Salome, if we may believe Nieephorus the 
historian, met a still more deplorable fate. " while crossing a 
frozen stream the ice gave away under her feet and she remained 
there submerged to her neck without being able to escape. The 
cold soon benumbed her limbs and the pieces of ice striking 
against her head severed it from her body. — Fouard, traditions 
of Xicephorus. 

47 Bethsaida raised to the dignity of a city by Philip, son of 
Herod the Great, was called Julias by him, in honor of Julia, 
daughter of Augustus and wife of Tiberius. To-day it is but a 
wretched village, built on the ruins. El-Tell ( the' heights ) . V. 
Guerin, Galilee, 1, 3, 29. — Bethsaida Julias must not be con- 
founded with Bethsaida of Galilee, on the eastern shore of the 
lake. 



84 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Jesus had grown larger from the towns and villages 
through which He passed along the lake; pilgrims on 
their way to Jerusalem also swelled their numbers, 
These latter walked around the lake and arrived in the 
desert place at the same time as Jesus and the apostles. 

Jesus sought repose; yet he would not send them 
away. He spoke to them of God's Kingdom and 
healed their sick. 

The sun was setting. The apostles were restless: 
mi Master, this is a desert place," said they, " the hour 
is growing late ; send away these people and let them go 
to the neighboring farms and villages to seek food and 
lodging." Jesus answered: " They need not go; you 
yourselves give them something to eat." And when the 
apostles asked in surprise what they could do, Andrew, 
Simon's brother, came forth and said: "There is a 
boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but 
what are these among so many ? " 

Jesus ordered the bread and the fishes to be brought 
to Him. He told the disciples to make the men sit 
down in groups of fifty. Then raising His eyes to 
Heaven, He gave thanks to His Father, He blessed the 
bread, broke it and gave to His disciples to deal out 
among the people; and the same with the fishes. As 
He handed them out the pieces were multiplied again 
and again until all had eaten their fill. 

Then Jesus told His disciples to gather up the frag- 
ments that remained, lest they should be lost. Each 
of the apostles took his basket, which a Jew always car- 
ries when journeying among pagans, 48 and the twelve 

48 The Jews considered whatever a pagan touched unclean, 
hence they carried the wicker-baskets which contained their sus- 
tenance. These precautions were almost as necessary in Galilee 
with its Gentiles as in a foreign country. — Fouard, I, 394, note. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 85 

baskets were filled. Jesus had fed five thousand men, 
besides women and children. Isow when the men saw 
what a miracle had been performed, they cried out: 
" Truly this is the prophet that is to come into the 
world." 49 

II, Jesus Walks on the Water; St. John, VI, 16 — 
After the miracle of the loaves, Jesus ordered His 
apostles to sail over to Capharnaum, where he would 
meet them later. He now hid Himself from the crowd 
for they wished to make Him their king. When it was 
dark, He went into the solitudes to pray. 

Meanwhile a tempest arose on the lake, and the wind 
was against the apostles. At three o'clock in the 
morning, 50 they had not made more than three or four 
miles, and the boat was in great danger of sinking. 
Suddenly the apostles saw a human form walking 
towards them on the water. Thinking it was a ghost, 
they raised a cry of fear. Then they heard the gentle 
words of their Master: " It is I; be not afraid." But 
Peter, always impetuous, cried out: "Lord, if it 
is You, bid me come to You upon the waters." 
" Come," answered Jesus. Peter got down from the 
boat and started toward his Master. But fear soon 

49 Tradition says that the boy who gave the five loaves and 
the ,two fishes was called Martial, a relative of Stephen the 
deacon and of Peter: he followed the latter to Rome. Thence he 
was sent to Gaul, where he became the first bishop of Limoges. — 
Gaume, Biog. Evang. The apostolate of St. Martial has been 
disputed in our day. The miracle of multiplying loaves and other 
nourishments has been repeated in the lives of several saints: St. 
Francis of Paul, St. Peter of Tarentius, St. Thomas of Villanova, 
St. Isadore, the laborer, St. Germain Cousin. 

50 "In the fourth watch of the night."— St. Matthew, XIV, 
25. The night was divided into four watches of three hours each, 
the first began at six in the evening. The fourth was from three 
to six in the morning. 



86 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

began to grow upon him and he began to sink. Then 
he cried out: "Master, save me." Jesus stretching 
forth His hand, upheld him, and chid him thus: u O 
thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt ? " When 
Jesus entered the boat the wind ceased and soon they 
landed on the shore of Capharnaum. The apostles 
cast themselves at Jesus' feet, exclaiming: "Indeed, 
Thou art the Son of God." 51 

Ill, The Holy Eucharist Foretold; St. John, VI.— 
The multiplication of the loaves was intended to pre- 
pare their minds and hearts for the great mystery of 
the Holy Eucharist, the true bread of life which Jesus 
was to give to the world. On the following day, He 
found an opportunity to announce this great mystery. 

Those who had eaten the miraculous bread now came 
again to Jesus at Capharnaum. He sat teaching in 
the synagogue. Engraved above the door was a vase, 
filled with manna, leaves of the vine, and bunches of 
grapes, on which were these words: " Our fathers ate 
manna in the desert, as it is written; He gave them 
bread from Heaven to eat." 52 Jesus made use of these 
emblems to speak of the Holy Sacrament of which they 
were the figure. At first He reproached the crowd 
with seeking Him because He had given them bread: 
" Seek not the food which perishes, but that which lasts 
forever, which the Son of Man will give to you." Then 
they asked Him if He could do more than Moses who 
gave them bread from Heaven. Jesus answered: "I 
am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall never 

51 The miracle of walking on the water has been repeated by 
several saints, St. Raymond of Pennafort, St. Maur, St. Albert, St. 
Hyacinthe. 

52 This head-piece of the door has been discovered. — Frette, II, 
80, or Sketches of Jewish Life, p. 257. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 87 

hunger; and he who believes in Me shall never again 
thirst." 

" I came down from Heaven. * * * And this 
is the will of My Father who sent Me, that everyone 
who sees the Son and believes in Him may have life 
everlasting; and I will raise him up in the last day." 

The Jews murmered at these words, and said: " Is 
not this Jesus the Son of Joseph, whose father and 
mother we know ? How can He say He came down 
from Heaven ? " 

Behold the response of Jesus: "I am the bread of 
life. Your fathers ate manna in the desert and are 
dead. This bread from Heaven, of which I speak, is 
such that he who eats it shall never die. I am the 
living bread which came down from Heaven. He who 
eats this bread shall live forever. The bread which I 
will give you is my flesh for the life of the world." 
Their murmurings grew thicker. They questioned 
one another thus: " How can this man give us His flesh 
to eat ? " Jesus then added : "Amen, amen, I say to 
you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and 
drink His blood you shall not have life in you. He 
who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life ever- 
lasting, and I will raise him up in the last day. For 
My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in 
Me, and I in him. * * * This is the bread which 
came down from Heaven. ISTot as your fathers ate 
manna and are dead; he who eats this bread shall live 
forever." 

He could not have spoken more clearly. He could 
not have told them more clearly that His flesh was to 
be eaten really and not figuratively. Jesus made 



88 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

known to them, later on, how He would bring this 
mystery about. For the time being. He was content to 
tell them of the great gift He would bring to earth, 
and make them understand to what heights He would 
raise humanity. 

Those from Capharnaum and even many of His 
disciples were scandalized at this new doctrine: " This 
saying is hard," whispered they, " and who can hear 
it ? " Many of them went away. Then Jesus turned 
to the twelve and asked: " Will you also go away? " 
Simon Peter answered for them : " Lord, to whom shall 
we go ? You have the words of eternal life. We be- 
lieve, we know that you are Christ, the Son of 
God." To these words, Jesus replied: " Have I not 
chosen you twelve? And one of you is a devil." He 
referred to Judas, who would betray him. 



IV. 



THIRD YEAR OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS, APRIL 29-30, A. D. 
(OF ROME, 782-783.) 



CHAPTEE I. 

Jesus in Syro-Phoenicia, in Decapolts, at Dal- 

MANUTHA. 

I, Jesus and the Pharisees, Voluntary Exile; St. 
Mark, VII. — Two years have glided by since Jesus 
began to preach and work miracles. He now began 
that which was to be His last year on earth. Already 
the hatred of His enemies had grown so violent that 
He could no longer remain in His beloved country of 
Galilee; much less could he think of going to Jerus- 
alem where the sect of the Pharisees was very strong. 
He did not go to the Pasch this year, but remained at 
Capharnaum. Some Scribes and Pharisees, on their 
return from Jerusalem, resolved to overthrow the 
Exile's teachings by their cunning and daily attacks. 

They held that all perfection consisted in exterior 
practices of which ablutions were the most important, 
the disciples, after the example of their Master, had 
given up these minute ceremonies. The Jews asked 
Jesus, in angry tones : " Why do not Your disciples 
walk according to the tradition of the Ancients; and 

89 



90 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

why do they eat with unwashed hands ? " Jesus took 
the part of His own, then added: " Well did Isaias 
prophesy of your hypocrites, as it is written: This 
people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is 
far from me. In vain do they worship one teaching 
doctrines and precepts of men. For, leaving the com- 
mandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the 
washing of pots and of cups; and you do many other 
such like things." The anger of the Pharisees knew 
no bounds. Jesus prudently decided to leave the 
country. He crossed over into Tyre and Syro- 
Phoenicia. His exile, with the exception of a few 
short visits to the lake of Genesareth, lasted six 
months (April to December). The Gospels give very 
few details about this period of our Saviour's life. 
They relate some miracles, but are silent on His teach- 
ings. 

It is believed that, in these pagan regions, He merely 
taught His apostles, whence future ages have drawn 
their store of tradition which goes hand in hand with 
the Scriptures. 

II, The Chananean; St. Mark, VII, 24. — - Jesus was 
passing in the neighborhood of Tyre. A woman, 1 who 
had heard of Him, came and begged Him to free her 
daughter from a devil with which she was possessed. 
This woman belonged to the Chananean race. Our 
Saviour, who had limited His teachings to the Jews, 
made no reply. A second and a third time she be- 
sought Him, but He heeded not. He wished to try her 
faith, and, at the same time, to teach us to persevere in 
prayer. Again she entreated Him, then Jesus an- 
swered: " It is not good to take the bread of children 

i She was called Justa, according to tradition. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. . 91 

and cast it to the dogs." 2 " Yea, Lord," cried the 
woman, " for the whelps, under the table, eat the 
crumbs that fall from the children." What faith! 
Jesus was satisfied, and exclaimed: " O, woman, great 
is your faith; your wish is granted." She went home 
and found her child cured; the demon had departed and 
the maiden was at rest. 3 

Ill, A Deaf-mute Cured; St. Mark, VII, 31.— 
Jesus had gone from Phoenicia to Decapolis, near the 
sources of the Jordan. A deaf and dumb man was 
brought to him. They asked our Lord to lay His 
hand upon him. Jesus took him by the hand and led 
him away from the crowd. Then, putting His finger 
into the deaf man's ears and touching the silent tongue 
with spittle, He raised His eyes to Heaven and said: 
" Ephpheta," which means, "be thou opened." 4 Im- 
mediately his ears were opened, the string of his tongue 
was loosed and he began to speak. 

Jesus forbade the bystanders to speak of this miracle, 
but they published it all the more, and thus drew the 
admiration of the whole surrounding country on Him. 
On all sides might be heard such sayings: "He has 
done all things well; He has made the deaf hear and 
the dumb speak." 

A great crowd was soon gathered around Him. In 
vain He sought quiet in the desert places east of Genes- 

2 In the East, the dog is considered an unclean animal. Whence 
the expression, " Christian dog," which the Mussulmans still use. 

3 On the exact spot where Jesus met the Chananean, the 
Christians built a chapel, which the Mussulmans have changed 
into a mosque. 

4 In baptizing, the priest thus touches the ears and nose of 
the one being baptized, and says : Ephpheta, " be opened " ears, 
be open to hear the voice of God, nostrils be open to breathe in 
the perfume of Jesus Christ. 



92 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

areth; for the neighboring people came to Him. 
They brought the dumb, the blind, the lame, the sick, 
and many others, firmly believing that He would heal 
them. Jesus, touched by the faith of these pagans, 
granted their requests, " so that the multitudes mar- 
velled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, the blind 
see; and they glorified the God of Israel/' 5 

V, The Sign of Jonas; St. Matthew, XV, 39 and 
XVI, 1.— Entering a boat with His apostles, Jesus 
crossed to Magdala, 6 and went at once to Dalmanutha. 
Modern travellers have located the exact spot to the 
southwest of the lake, doubtless between Magdala and 
Tiberias. This was truly a desert place. Yet the 
Pharisees and Saducees came and asked Him for a sign 
from Heaven. 

Jesus, however, was not to be moved by this vain and 
scornful curiosity of His enemies. " Have you not 
sufficient signs before your eyes ? " said He, " and what 
miracle from Heaven can equal the favors which have 
been heaped upon suffering humanity ! A wicked and 
adulterous race seeks a sign; and no sign shall be given 
it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." Jesus thus 
referred to his own Resurrection. 

Troubles began to appear. Jesus now left this place 
where He was no longer welcome and went to the 
northern borders of the lake. 

5 St. Matthew, XV, and St. Mark, VII and VIII, give a second 
multiplication of loaves, little different from the first, It has 
been omitted to avoid confusion in the narration of this chapter. 

6 The text of St. Matthew has "Magadan." This unknown 
country is generally considered to be Magdala. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 



CHAPTEE II. 



Jesus North of the Lake, at Bethsaida and 
Cesarea-Philippi. 

I, The Blind Man of Bethsaida; St. Mark, VII, 22.— 
Jesus went up the Jordan as far as Bethsaida-Julias. 
Here the people brought forth a blind man and asked 
Jesus to touch him. Taking the man by the hand, 
Jesus led him out of the village. There, touching the 
man's eyes with saliva, He asked what he saw. " I see 
men walking that look like trees/' said the blind man. 
Again Jesus touched his eyes; then he saw all things 
clearly. Jesus bade him tell no one of the miracle, and 
sent him to his home. 

II, Jesus at Cesarea-Philippi ; Peter's Confession; 
St. Matthew, XVI, 13. — Jesus went still further north, 
with His disciples, and came to Cesarea-Philippi. 7 

Just without the city, to the right of one of the 
Jordan's sources, tradition points out the spot in which 
Peter made his ever-memorable confession. 

After He had prayed alone, Jesus called His disciples 
about Him and asked: " Who do men say that I 
am ? " Not even those who had heard His teaching and 
seen His miracles took Him for the Messiah. So the 
disciples answered that some took Him to be John the 
Baptist risen to life, others thought He w r as Elias, others 
Jeremias or one of the prophets. " But who do you 
say I am ? " added Jesus. Simon Peter, the mouth and 
head of the apostles, as St. John Chrysostom calls him, 

7 The tetrareh Philip rebuilt Panoas with much magnificence 
and called it Cesarea, in honor of Tiberius. To-day it is known 
as Banias, a hamlet of 600 inhabitants. 



94 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

spoke in the name of all: " Thou art Christy the Son 
of God." 

This grand profession of faith, which came from 
Peter, not as from man but as an inspiration from God, 
gained a speedy reward in the response of Jesus: "And 
I say to thee ; thou art Peter, . and upon this rock I 
will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not 
prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys 
of the Kingdom of Heaven. And whatsoever thou 
shalt bind on earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven; 
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be 
loosed also in Heaven." 

For the first time, Jesus spoke of His Church, the 
great work for which He had come. He would have it 
rests upon His apostles as a house resting firmly upon a 
lasting foundation of stone. Thus we see why Simon 
received the name of Peter. 8 The Church will stand 
so firmly, that the gates of Hell, that is, according to a 
figure well known in the East, the power of Hell, perse- 
cutions, heresies, sin and death will never destroy her. 9 
And all her firmness will come from the rock on which 
she stands, from her Christ-given foundation, Peter, 
and from his successors of all ages; for in them Peter 
as the head of the Church still lives. 

These famous words: " Thou art Peter * * *," 
are written in large letters of gold below the dome 
of St. Peter's at Rome, above the tomb of the Prince 
of the Apostles. 

8 See page 28. 

9 The gates of cities and palaces are of great magnificence in 
the East, and serve as a place of meeting, not only for the multi- 
tude, but also for tribunes and public councils. Thence, the 
word " gate " in the eastern language, has become the synonym of 
supreme power (the highest gate, the Ottoman gate). — Fouard, 
II, 26. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 95 

As to the symbolic keys they are nothing less than 
the supreme authority to make laws, to judge without 
appeal, to declare dogmas, to bind and to loose con- 
sciences, in a word to open and close the Kingdom of 
Heaven. Peter's successors will hold these almost 
divine powers to the end of time. 10 

II, The Passion Foretold; St. Matthew, XVI, 23.— 
Now that He had founded His Church and had 
strengthened the faith of His .apostles, Jesus began to 
speak of His approaching death. " The Son of Man 
must go to Jerusalem to suffer many things/' said He, 
" to be rejected by the Ancients and the chief priests 
and Scribes, to be killed, and to rise again the third 
day." Then making a sign for the people to draw 
near He added: "If any man will come after Me, 
let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. 
* * * He who prefers to save his life rather than 
follow Me, shall lose it; and he who will not fear 
one day to lose his life for sake of Me and the Gospel, 
shall save his soul and shall live with Me in the life 
which will never end." 

The disciples were startled to learn that their Master 
was to die. Soon afterwards He quieted their minds 
by His glorious Transfiguration before them. 

10 The celebrated statue of St. Peter, in the Vatican basilica, 
holds the keys in the right hand. The " power of the keys " is 
used to express the power of the Pope, the successor of St. Peter. 



96 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEK III. 
The Transfiguration on Mt. Thabor. 

I, The Transfiguration; St. Matthew, XVII. — Eight 
days have passed since Peter made his profession. 
Jesus and His disciples have returned to Galilee, and 
are now at the foot of Mt. Thabor. It was early in 
August. 11 

Thabor/ 2 which is about 1250 feet in height, stands 
alone upon the plain of Esdrelon, southwest of Genes- 
areth. The sides of this mountain are covered with 
beautiful evergreens; it resembles a grand bouquet. 
Jesus chose this mountain as the place where one of 
the most astonishing wonders of His earthly life should 
be enacted. 

When evening was come, Jesus left His disciples at 
Daborich, at the foot of the mountain, and climbed up 
the heights of Thabor, taking with Him, Peter, James 
and John. There He betook Himself to prayer, and 
as He prayed the three disciples fell asleep. 

When they awoke, a wonderful sight filled their eyes, 
Jesus was transfigured. His face shone like the sun; 
His garments were white as snow. Two men stood 
by Him; they were resplendent with glory and spoke 
of His departure from this world. As they faded from 
view, Peter cried out in ecstasy : " Lord, it is good for 

11 August 6th, is the feast of our Lord's Transfiguration ; this 
date agrees perfectly with the course of Evangelical history; for 
our Lord went from Thabor to Capharnaum, passed a certain 
time there, and went to Jerusalem, about the middle of Septem- 
ber, for the feast of the Tabernacles. 

12 The Mussulmans call it Djebel Thour, " the mountain by 
excellence," and Djebel Nour, "the mountain of splendor." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 97 

us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make three taber- 
nacles, one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." 
At that moment, a cloud overshadowed the disciples 
and a voice was heard to say: " This is my beloved Son 
in whom I am well pleased; hear you Him." The 
three fell trembling to the ground, and, when they 
raised their eyes, they saw Jesus standing alone before 
them. The glorious vision was gone. Jesus came, 
touched them with His finger, and told them to " arise 
and fear not." 

It was morning. As they w r ere going down the 
mountain, Jesus forbade them to tell what they had just 
seen, till the Son of Man should be risen from the 
dead. 

Then only, when they were enlightened from on 
High, should they relate what they had seen and heard 
— Jesus glorified, resplendent, and transfigured; and 
the voice of the Father bearing witness to the Son. 13 
Thus they would lead men to accept both the ignominy 
of His death, and the miracle of His Resurrection. 

By this revelation, Jesus wished to make known to 
all humanity the glorious end He would attain by His 
sufferings, and also to give them some idea of the 
glory that surrounds those who are admitted to the 
Kingdom of God. " His snow-white garments were a 
symbol of matter in its renewed state in Heaven; His 
luminous body showed what we ourselves will be one 
day; His soul, where infinity dwelt, revealed the destiny 
of all souls called to live forever with God. The cloud 
represented the heavenly home into which all the elect 

!3 St. Peter, in his second epistle, mentions the Transfiguration, 
of which he was a witness, to prove the divinity of Christ. 

7 



98 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

will be gathered, rejoicing forever in the joy and glory 
of the Son of God." 14 

Cure of One Possessed; St. Matthew, XVII, 14.— 
When Jesus came to the foot of the mountain He saw a 
great crowd around His disciples. They had tried, but 
in vain, to cure a young man possessed of a demon. 
The young man's father hailed Jesus thus: " Master, 
I have brought my son who has a dumb spirit. 
Wherever the spirit seizes him, it casts him to the 
ground, the child foams, gnashes his teeth and wastes 
away. # * - * J b e g y 0U? cas t a look upon him, for 
he is my only son." And he fell down at Jesus' feet. 

Jesus ordered the child to be brought forth. " If 
you can believe," said He to the afflicted father, " all 
things are possible to him who believes." Then the 
poor man cried out: " I do believe, Lord, help me to 
believe." Such simplicity touched Jesus. He turned 
to the child writhing on the ground. Then came His 
firm words of command: " Deaf and dumb spirit, I 
command thee, go out of him and enter no more into 
him." With a loud cry the demon left him, shaking 
him violently as he went. The boy lay motionless on 
the ground as if dead. Jesus took him by the hand and 
lifted him up. He was healed. 

14 Didon's Life of Christ, I, 462. In remembrance of this 
scene, St. Helena had a large church built on the summit of 
Thabor, which she called St. Saviour. Two other smaller churches 
were built later in honor of Moses and Elias. St. Peter's wish 
was realized. There were also several monasteries in this place. 
All disappeared in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, under 
the ravages of the Mussulmans. To-day the summit of Thabor 
presents but a mass of ruins, in the midst of which the schismatic 
Greeks and the Franciscan Fathers have built a monastery and 
a convent. These latter have carried on research^ which have 
discovered the ancient church of St. Saviouf) m\(z its crypt on 
the extreme summit of Thabor. See Guerin, Galilee, I, 143. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 99 

The apostles were smitten by the failure of their 
efforts. When they found themselves alone with 
Jesus, they asked why the demon had not obeyed them. 
"Because of your lack of faith," said He; "if your 
faith were as great as a grain of mustard seed, you 
might say to this tree: be uprooted and transport your- 
self into the sea, and it would obey you. Yes, truly, if 
you have faith as great as a grain of mustard seed you 
might say to this mountain: remove hence, and 
it would remove, 10 and nothing would be impossible for 
you. But this kind of demons cannot be cast out but 
by prayer and fasting." 

15 See the realization of this in the life of St. Gregory 
Thaumaturgiis (Roman Breviary, November 17th). Raphael, the 
great painter, represents the two-fold scene of the Transfiguration 
and of the one possessed in a famous picture. While Jesus in 
the upper part of the painting shines with resplendent light, 
the possessed, lower down, struggles under the embrace of the 
demon. It seems that the artist wished to show the two ex- 
treme conditions which human nature may reach, glorification 
with God and abasement under the slavery of Satan; and each 
of the artist's illustrations is better understood because of the 
other. — The Transfiguration, by Raphael, in the Vatican. 



i~»i 



100 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEK IV. 

Jesus at Capharnatjm. 

I, The Didrachma; St. Matthew, XIII, 23.— Jesus 
went back to Capharnaum. When the tax-gatherers 
saw the little band coming, they asked Peter if his 
Master did not pay the didrachma. This was an an- 
cient impost which served to defray the expenses of the 
Temple. It can be traced back to the precepts of 
Exodus. 16 Our Saviour could have refused to pay it, 
not having any sin to be redeemed, but He did not wish 
to scandalize the Jews. " Go to the lake," said He to 
Peter, " cast in a hook, take the first fish you catch, 
open its mouth, and you will find a stater 17 therein. 
Take it and give it for Me and for you." 

The Child as the Model of Humility. Do not Scan- 
dalize Children; St. Matthew, XVII, 1. — In a certain 
house of the city, Jesus praised the purity and sim- 
plicity of childhood. Knowing that His disciples had 
disputed, on the way, as to which was the greatest 
among them, He called a little child to Him, caressed it, 
and gave it to them as a model. " He who humbles 
himself as this child," said He, " is the greatest in the 
Kingdom of Heaven. And he who shall scandalize 
one of these little ones that believe in Me it were better 
for him that a millstone should be hanged about his 
neck and that he should be cast into the sea." 

Ill, Parable of the Merciful Master and the Hard- 
Hearted Servant; St. Matthew, XVIII, 23.— It was 

16 Exodus, XXX. 12. The didrachma (two drachmas) was 
worth about thirty-two cents. 

17 The stater was worth two didrachmas. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 101 

in the same city that Jesus laid down the loving pre- 
cept of never refusing pardon. He supported it with 
a parable. The parable ran thus: "A king called his 
servants to account. One of them who owed him ten 
thousand talents/ 8 by begging pity, escaped being sold 
together with his wife, his children, and his property. 
But scarcely had he left the palace when he met a 
fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence. 19 Seiz- 
ing him, he throttled him and said : " Pay what thou 
owest," and in spite of his cries for mercy, he cast him 
into prison till he should pay all. Hearing this the 
king sent for the merciless servant. " Wicked ser- 
vant," said he, " I forgave you your debt because you 
besought me; should you not have pitied your fellow 
servant as I pitied you ? " And, in his anger, the king 
delivered him to the executioners. " Thus will my 
Heavenly Father treat you," concluded Jesus, " if each 
of you does not forgive his brother from the bottom of 
his heart." 

18 A talent was worth $1,987. Ten thousand talents then made 
about $20,000,000. This great sum shows that our Lord alluded 
to the Oriental courts where the ministers, called satraps, had 
the administration of great provinces. 

19 The penny was worth about sixteen and one-half cents of our 
money. 



102 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEE V. 

Jesus at Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. 

I, Jesus Goes to Jerusalem; St. John, VII; St. Luke, 
IX, 51. — It was the beginning of autumn, the time 
for the feast of Tabernacles. 20 This feast lasted seven 
days in memory of the Jews' crossing the desert. Dur- 
ing this time, the people dwelt under tents made of 
leaves, set up in the streets, in public places, and on 
the porches of houses. 

Jesus went to Jerusalem for this feast. As He 
passed through Samaria, probably at En-Gannim, the 
people closed their doors against Him. The old 
Samaritan hatred for the Jews was still rife. The 
disciples spoke of calling down 'fire from Heaven on 
these ungrateful people. " You know not of what 
spirit you are," answered Jesus; " the Son of Man came 
not to destroy but to save souls." So they contin- 
ued their journey without further complaint. They 
met many persons on the way; one of these, a Scribe, 
said to Jesus : " Master, I will follow you wherever 
you go." But Jesus, seeing that he was one who loved 
ease and comfort, said to him: " The foxes have holes 
and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of Man has 
not whereon to lay His head." The Scribe went away. 

Later on, Jesus came upon a young man and said to 
him: " follow Me." The young man, full of good 

20 It was celebrated from the 15th to the 22d of Thishri 
(September), and marked the end of the civil year, which began 
with October. Since it fell at the end of harvest it was also 
called the " Feast of the Harvest." English Protestants cele- 
brate the feast of the harvest every year. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 103 

will, only asked time to bury his father who had just 
died. " Let the dead bury their dead/' answered our 
Saviour, " but go thou and preach the Kingdom of 
God." Thus He taught us to obey the Call of God 
even to the omission of pious works and to leave the 
care of less perfect works to those who are not called. 
Another answered His call thus : " I will follow You, 
Lord, but let me first take leave of those at home." 21 
But Jesus would have no delay, so He replied: " No 
man, putting his hand to the plough and looking back 
is fit for the Kingdom of God." 

II, Jesus in the Temple. His Teaching, St. John, 
VII. — Having arrived secretly at Jerusalem on the 
fourth day of the feast, Jesus went to the Temple and 
began to teach. The Scribes and Pharisees murmured 
and even sought His death; but many among the people 
were heard to say: " When Christ comes will He 
work more miracles than this man does ? " Thus they 
almost believed in Him. On the last day of the feast, 
the priests went to the fountain of Siloe to draw water 
with which they sprinkled the Temple profusely. This 
symbolic ceremony was the signal for songs and trans- 
ports of joy, 22 Jesus now took occasion to say: "If 
any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He 
who believes in Me, as the Scripture says, Out of him 
shall flow rivers of living waters/' 

The multitude was far from agreeing to these words. 
Some, indeed, favored Him; but others accused Him of 
exercising an evil power over the people. " This is 

21 The Vulgate has " regulate the affairs of my house." 

22 It signified especially, according to the doctors, the abund- 
ance of divine spirit, which the Messiah would spread among His 
people. 



104 LIFE OF CHKIST. 

Christ," said some. To which others replied: 
"Does Christ come out of Galilee? Does not the 
Scripture say that Christ will come out of the seed of 
David and from Bethlehem, the city of David ? " 

The high priests and Pharisees even tried to cause 
His arrest, but those whom they sent did not dare lay 
hands upon Him. When they returned, the chiefs 
said to them: " Why have you not brought Him?" 
" Never did man speak like this man," answered the 
soldiers. "Are you too seduced ? " broke out the 
Pharisees. " See if any of the rulers or any of us be- 
lieve in Him. The populace believes in Him; but they 
do not know the laws, and they are accursed." One 
man, however, made bold to speak in favor of Jesus. 
It was Nicodemus who had visited Him by night, and 
who was secretly attached to Him. He told them that 
the Jewish law did not judge any man without first 
giving him a hearing, and knowing what he had done. 
" Search the Scriptures," said they to him, " and you 
will find that no prophet is to come from Galilee." At 
this the assembly dispersed. 

Ill, The Sinful Woman Pardoned; St. John, VIII, 3. 
— Jesus had just passed a night amid the solitudes of 
Olivet. At dawri He went to the Temple. The crowd 
had already gathered in; so He sat down and began to 
teach. The Scribes and Pharisees now brought to Him 
a woman taken in adultery. " Master, this woman has 
just been taken in adultery," said they; " now the law 
of Moses tells us to stone such a one. What do you 
say of the matter ? " This was a snare. If He con- 
demned her to death, He would incur the anger of 
Eome, which had reserved capital punishment to itself; 
on the other hand, if He forgave her He would go 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 105 

against the law of Moses. But Jesu$ knew their wiles 
and, stooping down, began to write with His finger 
in the sand. As they pressed Him further, He 
arose and said: "Let him who is without sin among 
you cast the first stone at her." Then stooping 
again He continued to write. An old tradition 
holds that He thus wrote a list of each one's sins in the 
sand. The crowd began to retire, one by one in order, 
the oldest first. Soon none was left but the sinful 
woman. Then Jesus arose and uttered these kind 
words: " Woman, where are your accusers ? Has no 
one condemned you?" " None, Lord." " Neither 
will I condemn you. Go, and sin no more." Thus the 
divine mercy appeared in all its brightness. Our 
Saviour refused pardon to no sinner, how lowly he may 
have fallen. He asked only that the sinner show signs 
of repentance and a firm purpose of amendment. 

IV, Teaching in the Temple ; St. John, VIII. — Jesus 
took His seat in the Treasury, 23 and began to teach. He 
spoke of His coming death, of the cross to which He 
would be nailed, and of the Father who had sent Him 
and with whom He was One. He declared that the 
knowledge of the truth would free those who believed 
in Him. These words aroused the Jewish ire. " We 
are the children of Abraham," cried they, " and we 
have never been slaves; how then do you say we shall 
be free ? " Jesus told them that He meant the slavery 
of sin, and that those who kept His word would never 
know death. At these words they poured forth all 
kinds of abuses, saying that He was possessed of a devil 

23 In gazophylacio, St. John, VIII, 20. The treasury was sit- 
uated under the portico of Israel, near the women's court, at the 
entrance of the Temple. There were three boxes in this place to 
receive the offerings. — See the plan of the Temple. 



106 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

and that He raised Himself above Abraham and the 
prophets. "Amen, amen, I say to you/' answered 
Jesus, " before Abraham was born, I was." 24 Hearing 
this, the Jews became frantic. 

They took up stones to cast at Him. But Jesus hid 
Himself and went out of the Temple. 



CHAPTER VI. 
Jerusalem; the Man Born Blind. 

I, The Born-Blind; St. John, IX, 1. — While passing 
along a street in Jerusalem, on one of these days, Jesus 
saw a beggar who had been blind from his birth. He 
stood and looked upon the poor man. " Master," 
asked the disciples, " who has sinned, this man or his 
parents, that he should be born blind ? " Jesus quickly 
banished from their minds this false idea of the trials 
with which it pleased God to afflict man. God had per- 
mitted this to make manifest His glory. " As long as 
I am in the world," said He, " I am the light of the 
world." Then making a mixture of dust and spittle, 
He put it upon the blind man's eyes and told him to go 
and wash in the pool of Siloe. 25 He went and came 
back with his eyesight restored. 

Great rumors were set afloat at sight of this man so 
cured. 

24 The Vulgate has " I am." 

25 The pool of Siloe is southeast of Jerusalem, at the juncture 
of the valley of Tyropalon and the Cedron. In remembrance 
of this miracle, the first Christians built a portico and an oratory 
in this place. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 107 

His neighbors and those who had seen him as a 
beggar asked if he were not the man who sat and 
begged in such a place. Some said yes, while others 
said that he simply looked like the beggar. Then they 
questioned him. " I am he," answered the man; " that 
man, who is called Jesus, made clay and put it on my 
eyes and told me to wash in the pool of Siloe; I went, 
I washed, and I see." 

They took him to the Pharisees; but, as it was the 
Sabbath-day, they did not dare take part in the affair. 
However, some of them declared that he who did not 
keep the Sabbath was not of God. But others asked 
how could a sinner work such miracles. Thus they 
were divided. They now asked the born-blind what he 
thought of the man who had opened his eyes. " He is 
a prophet," answered he. The doubting Pharisees 
called in his parents for their testimony. These latter 
knew that the Pharisees had sworn to drive from the 
synagogue whoever would acknowledge Jesus as 
Christ. " We know that this is our son," answered 
they all fearful, " and that he was born blind; but we 
know not how he regained his sight. ISTor do we know 
who has opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age; let 
him speak for himself." 

A dialogue now ensued between the Pharisees and 
the born-blind, full of hatred and forbearance on the 
one side, and with simplicity and not a little shrewdness 
on the other. " Give glory to God (and acknowledge 
your error). We know that this man is a sinner." " If 
He be a sinner I know not; one thing I know, that I 
was blind and now I see." " What did He do to you ? 
How did He open your eyes ? " "I have told you al- 
ready, and you have heard; why should you hear it 



108 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

again? Do you wish to become His disciples?." " Be 
thou His disciple, if you will; we are the disciples of 
Moses; but, as to this man, we know not whence He 
comes." " Why, that is wonderful ! He has opened 
my eyes, and you know not whence He comes. Now we 
know that God does not hear sinners, but He hears 
Him who honors Him and does His will. It has never 
been heard from the beginning of the world that a man 
opened the eyes of one born blind; so if this man were 
not from God He could not have this power." The 
irate Pharisees now cried out fiercely: " Thou wast 
wholly born in sin 26 and dost thou teach us ? " And 
they cast him out of the synagogue. 

Jesus decided to repay this man's courage. Hearing 
that he had been cast out, He sought him and asked 
him if he believed in the Son of God. " Who is He, 
Lord," answered the poor man, " that I may believe in 
Him." " You see Him," said Jesus; "it is He who 
speaks with you." " I believe, Lord," cried he as he 
fell on his face at our Saviour's feet and adored Him. 

II, The Good Shepherd; St. John, X. — -It remained 
to open the sheepf old of the Church for the sheep which 
the synagogue had rejected. At first Jesus branded 
with ignominy those hirelings who had little care for 
their sheep and who fled at sight of the wolf and the 
robber. Then He drew a beautiful picture of His new 
sheepf old. " The true shepherd," said He, " knows 
his sheep; he calls his own sheep by name and leads 
them out. And when they are without, he walks be- 
fore them; and the sheep follow him because they know 
his voice. * * * I am the good shepherd. The 
good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. * * * 

26 Allusion to a popular belief expressed above by the apostles. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 109 

I know mine, and mine know me. * * * I am 
come that they may live more abundantly." 

Then, as if thinking of the man who had lately be- 
come one of His own, He continued: " Other sheep I 
have that are not of this fold; them also must I bring 
within, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall 
be one fold and one shepherd." Wonderful words 
which foretold the unity that w r ould exist among all 
Catholic missionaries and apostles of all ages to come. 



CHAPTEK VII. 

Sojourn in Galilee. 

I, The Seventy-two Disciples; St. Luke, X, 1. — To 
escape the malice of the Pharisees, Jesus left Jeru- 
salem and went again to Galilee. Perhaps He wished 
to offer a last chance to these ungrateful people for 
whom He had done so much. On his arrival^ He 
chose seventy-two 27 from among His followers and sent 
them before Him u into every city and place whither 
He was to come." Their mission was to prepare the 
way. He gave them almost the same instructions that 
He had given to his apostles, 28 but with less detail. 
They should go without purse, without script, and with- 
out shoes. 

Peace should attend their footsteps; they should 
heal the sick; they should be satisfied with whatever 
was put before them. If any city refused to receive 

27 Sixtv-six. according to some manuscripts. 

28 See page 79, II. 



110 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

them, they should shake the dust from their feet, to 
signify that they would have nothing in common with 
it, and they should threaten it with a harsher fate than 
even that of Sodom. 

II, The Wicked Cities; St. Luke, X, 13.— The dis- 
ciples set out two by two. Meanwhile, Jesus was on 
the borders of the lake, but His words fell on hardened 
and closed hearts. The cities in which He had wrought 
so many miracles, in which He had spread the good 
seed in abundance, now turn against Him. This called 
forth those awful words which the future too soon 
verified: Woe to thee, Choroza'in; woe to thee, Beth- 
saida, for if Tyre and Sidon had seen the mighty works 
that have been wrought in you, they would have done 
penance, in sackcloth and ashes, long ago. But Tyre 
and Sidon shall be more mildly dealt with at the day 
of judgment than you. And thou, Capharnaum, who 
art exalted unto Heaven, thou shalt be thrust down to 
Hell." This terrible fate was brought to be, by the 
Romans, thirty years later. Life and business gave 
way to ruin and desolation, especially around the beau- 
tiful lake. 

The disciples now returned from their mission. 
Perea, which was to remain faithful to the end, had 
welcomed them. They were happy because even the 
demons obeyed them in the name of their Master.' 
Jesus told them that they might well rejoice, for their 
names were written in Heaven. Then, referring to 
the welcome given His words, He declared that they 
should take up their cross and follow Him. ' In fol- 
lowing Me," He added, " you shall find rest for your 
souls; for My yoke is sweet and My burden light." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. Ill 

CHAPTEE VIII. 

Jesus in Judea. 

I, The Parable of the Good Samaritan; St. Luke, X, 
25. — Jesus went again to Jerusalem. One day, as He 
travelled along the mountainous road from Jericho to 
Jerusalem by way of Bethany, along which were many 
passes noted for crimes and robberies, 30 a Scribe came 
up and asked Him what works were necessary to gain 
eternal life. Jesus cited for him the two great com- 
mandments, the love of God, and the love of our neigh- 
bor, both given in the book of which the Scribe was an 
interpreter. " Who is my neighbor ? " asked the lat- 
ter. Knowing what narrow limits the Jews, as well 
as the Pagans had placed about this subject, Jesus took 
occasion to give forth His new doctrine of charity. 
He began: "A certain man went down from Jeru- 
salem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who de- 
spoiled him, wounded him, and went away leaving him 
half dead. A certain priest,* who went down the same 
way, saw him and passed by. In like manner, a Levite, 
who drew near the place, saw him and passed by. But 
a certain Samaritan (enemy of the Jews) came near 
him; he saw the unfortunate man and was moved with 
pity. He went to him, bound up his wounds pouring 
in oil and wine. 31 Then he placed him upon his own 

30 Fouard, II, 85, note. The bad repute of the passes in Jericho 
has lasted to our day. The last outlaws were dispersed only a 
few years ago. 

*A Jewish priest of the old law. — Translator. 

31 In olden times oil and wine were used for healing wounds. 



112 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

beast, brought him to an inn, 32 and took care of him. 
The next day he gave two pence to the host and said: 
Take care of him, and if you shall spend anything more, 
I will repay you on my return. " The lesson was plain. 
The Scribe had asked who was his neighbor, and Jesus 
told him in this beautiful parable, that all men, even his 
enemies, were his neighbor. " Which of the three/' 
asked Jesus, " do you think acted towards the unhappy 
man as his neighbor should do ? Which was neighbor 
to that man ? " The Scribe could only say that it was 
the Samaritan. 

Jesus thus showed him that charity should have no 
bounds; that it should not be limited to their friends 
and countrymen, and taught him that strangers should 
no longer be viewed as enemies and that the bonds of 
primitive brotherhood should be renewed. 

II, Jesus at Bethany; St. Luke, X, 38. — Jesus now 
arrived at Bethany. 33 Bethany was a village beautifully 
situated on the side of a hill which lay to the south- 
east of Olivet. It was only about two miles from 
Jerusalem. Jesus wished to stop here. He w r as kindly 
welcomed by Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, 
into their house. Mary, also called Magdalen, was she 
whom Jesus had pardoned and raised up in the esteem 
of her friends at the feast of Nairn. On the arrival of 
Jesus and His disciples, the whole house was set in mo- 
tion. Martha busied herself with great preparations 
and took every care that nothing should be wanting. 
Mary, on the other hand, sat at her Saviour's feet 

32 The " Inn of the Samaritan," on which the name was doubt- 
less fixed long ago from the parable, is about six miles from 
Jerusalem on the road to Jericho. 

33 See Vigouroux, Dictionnaire de la Bible. 







tfa£V 1JV £ p ^ J^" »T ^M 



.;*m 




LIFE OF CHRIST. 113 

silently listening to the words that fell from His lips. 
Martha, on whom the whole burden of serving had 
fallen, complained gently, " Lord, hast thou no care 
that my sister has left me alone to serve 2 " said she 
to Jesus. " Speak to her that she may help me." 
" Martha, Martha," answered Jesus, " you are careful 
and are troubled about many things. But one thing is 
necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, which 
shall not be taken away from her." 

It was not indeed the care for things of this life that 
Jesus blamed in this instance; it was rather the total 
neglect of all else than lower occupations. He praised 
the desire to seek God and the pious attention which 
faithful souls bestow upon His words. Commentators 
have found, in this response of our Saviour, the greatest 
praise and the highest dignity for a contemplative 
life. 34 

34 A great painter of the seventeenth century, Le Sueur, has 
beautifully illustrated this scene of Bethany. The expression of 
contented admiration and trustful abandonment with which Mary 
Magdalen is depicted is unequalled. Museum of Munich. 

8 



114 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEE IX. 

Jesus on the Mount of Olives. 

I, The Second Form of the Our Father; St. Luke, XI, 
1. — On leaving Bethany, Jesus travelled about in the 
neighborhood of Jerusalem. Some disciples, late fol- 
lowers of John the Baptist, found Jesus one day pray- 
ing on the Mount of Olives, and asked Him how they 
should pray. He gave them, in shorter form, the same 
prayer that he had given to the apostles on the plain 
of Hattin: "Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy 
kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone 
that is indebted to us. And lead us not into tempta- 
tion." 35 

II, Instruction on Prayer; St. Luke, XL — Our Lord 
now seized the opportunity of speaking to His question- 
ers, on the value of prayer. " Ask, and it shall be 
given you," He began; " seek, and you shall find; knock, 
and it shall be opened to you; for everyone that asks 
receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him, who 
knocks, it shall be opened." To this He added some 
apt comparisons and examples. " Who of you," said 

35 A very old tradition locates this scene on the Mount of 
Olives, not far from the summit of the Ascension. The early 
Christians built a church on this spot which was destroyed by 
the Mussulmans, as was also a monastery called the " Holv 
Paternoster." The Church was rebuilt by the Crusaders, but it 
was again destroyed after the taking of Jerusalem by Saladdin. 
In our time, 1875, a chapel called Paternoster, was built on the 
same spot by the Princess de La Tour d'Auvergne, which she gave 
to France. A French Carmelite convent adjoins the chapel. In 
the cloister built on the plain leading from Camposanto de Pisa, 
the Pater (Our Father), is written in thirty- two languages. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 115 

He, " if he ask his father for bread, will he give him 
a stone ? Or if he ask for a fish, will he give him a ser- 
pent ? " He spoke of a man aroused in the middle of 
the night who yielded at last to the importunities of a 
friend and gave him the bread which he sought, thus 
teaching us constancy and perseverance in prayer, to 
which God can refuse nothing. This consoling doc- 
trine of prayer completed the teaching given on the 
same subject on the Mount of Beatitudes. As there is 
nothing more beneficial, there is nothing which our 
Saviour has developed more fully and with more ex- 
actitude. 



CHAPTER X. 

I, Perea ; St. Matthew, IX. — It is difficult to trace 
our Saviour's precise course during the last six months 
of His life. St. John seems to say that He entered a 
region which He had never before visited in person. 
He made but a short stay in Jerusalem and its vicinity, 
then crossed over the Jordan into Perea, which was 
governed by Herod. This province, which had wel- 
comed the disciples a short time before, now gladly re- 
ceived their Master. In this place, He multiplied His 
teachings and His miracles; among others He cured 
two who were blind, 36 and delivered one possessed of 
a devil. 37 As usual, the Pharisees were there giving 
forth their malicious remarks and plying their crafty 
questions. They were bold enough to insinuate, as 
those had done in Galilee, that He cast out devils 

30 St. Matthew, TX. 27. 
37 Ibid., 32. 



116 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

through the power of the prince of devils. Jesus made 
the same response as before, and told them that the 
world was about to be delivered from the slavery of 
Satan, but that they would not profit by the deliver- 
ance. He threatened the Jews w r ith the direst mis- 
fortunes. At that moment, a woman of the crowd, 
moved with admiration, cried out: " Blessed is the 
womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee 
suck." " Yea; rather blessed are they/' answered 
Jesus, " who hear the word of God and keep it." There 
is then something still greater than divine mother- 
hood ! It is the faith of a Christian by which he con- 
ceives Jesus Christ in his heart. Mary was even 
greater for her faith than for the marvellous privilege 
she enjoyed. 38 

II, Jesus Dines with the Pharisees ; St. Luke, XI and 
XII. — While He was yet speaking, one of the same 
Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him. He con- 
sented. But though the Pharisees present were care- 
ful to make the prescribed ablutions, Jesus wittingly 
sat down without doing so. 

The Pharisees, angered at such contempt of their 
observances, soon began to address Jesus with foul and 
abusive reproaches. Jesus once more disrobed the hy- 
pocrisy of His enemies. So gentle and mild with hum- 
ble and repentant sinners, He bitterly rebuked these 
proud and hardened men. He reproached them with 
being careful to cleanse the outside while all within 
was sin and corruption. He told them that they gave 
all their attention to exterior observances while they 
neglected almsgiving and the love of God and their 
neighbor; that they burdened others with teachings 

38 This is St. Augustine's thought, On Holy Virginity, III. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 117 

which they themselves did not observe. Thrice He 
pronounced anathema against them, the " Vae " of the 
prophets. 

When Jesus set out a great crowd followed with His 
disciples. He warned these latter against the designs 
of wicked men. He exhorted them to fear nothing 
and to face even death, if necessary, rather than deny 
their faith. " I say to you, My friends; be not afraid 
of those who kill the body and can do nothing more. 
But I will show you whom you shall fear. Fear him 
who, after he has killed, has power to cast into Hell. 
Yea, I say to you, fear Him." 

Thus He forewarned them against future persecu- 
tions, over which they would triumph by death alone. 
Wonderful triumph which would show them as van- 
quished before the eyes of men, but which would never- 
theless be a glorious victory ! 

II, the Eich Man's Death; St. Luke, XII, 13.— One 
of His hearers asked Jesus to help him in a question of 
inheritance. But He refused and took occasion to con- 
demn once more the love of riches. " Take heed," 
said He, " and beware of all covetousness." Then He 
related the story of a rich man who had gathered up 
treasures in vain. " The land of a certain rich man 
brought forth abundance of fruit. He was worried as 
to where he could find room to bestow his crops. And 
he said : { I will do this ; I will pull down my barns and 
build greater; I will gather into them all my crops and 
my goods. Then I will say to my soul : Soul, thou hast 
much goods laid up for many years, take thy rest, eat, 
drink, and make good cheer/ But God said to him: 
' Thou fool, this night thy soul is required of thee ; and 
whose shall these things be which thou hast stored 
up'?" 



118 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEK XL 

Jerusalem, the Feast of the Dedication. 

I, Jesus at Jerusalem; St. Luke, XIII, 34; St. John, 
X. — Jesus was recalled to Jerusalem by the feast of 
the Dedication, which was held to commemorate the 
purification of the Temple by Judas Machabaeus after 
the sacrilege of Antiochus Epiphanus. 39 It lasted 
eight days and was the occasion of great rejoicings and 
illuminations. The time of its observance was in the 
middle of December. St. Luke pictures Jesus passing 
through towns and cities and teaching along the whole 
course of the way. It was when drawing near the 
Holy City on this journey, that His heart was pierced 
with sorrow for its ungrateful inhabitants; it was then 
these sad words found utterance : " Jerusalem, Jeru- 
salem, thou who killest the prophets and stonest those 
who are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered 
thy children as the bird does her brood under her wing, 
and thou wouldst not? Behold your house shall be 
left to you desolate. And I say to you that you shall 
not see Me till the time comes when you shall say: 
i Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.' J 
He thus referred to His departure in the near future 
and the time which would elapse until He should return 
in triumph on the day of Palms (Palm Sunday). 

At Jerusalem, Jesus chose the portico of Solomon 
as His dwelling place. It was a large double gallery 
forming an inclosure for the court of the Temple on 
the east, and commanding a view of the valley of Ce- 

39 I Machabees, IV, 3G. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 119 

dron in front of Olivet. Here the Sanhedrites sought 
Him and again directed their evil designs against Him. 
They urged Him to declare that He was Christ. 
Jesus recalled His miracles and asserted that He " and 
the Father were One." At this they thought to stone 
Him. But he passed through their midst and left the 
Temple. Obliged to leave Jerusalem, Jesus now re- 
tired to Perea beyond the Jordan. 



CHAPTEE XII. 
Last Stay in Perea. 

I, The Repast with a Pharisee; St. Luke, XIV, 1. — 
Jesus remained in Perea about two months. This was 
to be His last visit. 40 

One Sabbath-day, a Pharisee invited Jesus to par- 
take of a meal with him. All present belonged to the 
sect. Jesus again shocked their rigid minds by curing 
on the Sabbath a man troubled with dropsy. He no- 
ticed also that these proud men strove for the highest 
place at table. He remarked to them that they thus 
exposed themselves to shame and confusion; for if one 
of higher rank entered, the master of the house would 
send them down lower. " He who exalts himself, shall 
be humbled," said Jesus, " and he who humbles himself 
shall be exalted." 

Now, it was customary for all to be freely admitted 
to the banquet-hall. Many of the poor, the maimed, the 

40 Fouard thinks the miracles recorded in the XIV, XV, XVI, 
XVII, 1-10, chapters of St. Luke, were performed during this 
time. 



120 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

lame, and the blind had come, spurred on perhaps by the 
hope that Jesus would see and heal them. From these 
Jesus drew a new lesson; He told the host that he 
should invite these instead of the rich, for he who in- 
vites the rich is in turn invited by them and so receives 
his reward. On the other hand, he who calls the poor 
about him expects no recompense in this life, but he 
will be repaid on the last day. Then one of those at 
table cried out: " Blessed is he who shall eat bread in 
the Kingdom of God." That Pharisee was, doubtless, 
selfish in his remark; for our Lord answered by a 
parable which serves as a rebuke for the pride of his 
sect as well as that of all people. He described a master 
who made a great feast for many select guests. "When 
all was ready, the servant went out, according to Ori- 
ental custom, to call in the guests. But all began to 
make excuses. One had just bought a farm; another 
had bought five yoke of oxen; a third had just married 
a wife. The master was wroth. " Go out quickly 
into the streets and lanes of the city," said he to the 
servant, " and bring hither the poor, and the feeble, and 
the blind, and the lame." When this was done and 
there was still room, he repeated his command: " Go 
out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to 
come in that my house may be filled." The meaning 
of this parable was clear; the invited guests are the 
Jews, well-taught and wealthy, before whom our 
Saviour had preached and worked miracles for three 
years. They hearkened not to the divine call; some 
refused through pride, others through love of riches 
and worldly pleasures. The Great Master, angry at 
such disdain, at first calls in the poor and the lowest 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 121 

of the people, then he calls in even the Gentiles and 
strangers to taste the sweets of His feast. 

As Jesus departed from the house, a great crowd 
pressed about Him, led on perhaps by the promises they 
had just heard and which they thought were about to 
be fulfilled in a worldly sense. Jesus, however, ex- 
plained the true meaning to them, and told them what 
great sacrifices are required of those who follow Him. 
" If any man come to Me," said He, " and hate* not his 
father and mother and wife and children and brothers 
and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be My 
disciple. He who has ears to hear let him hear. 

II, The Parable of the Prodigal Son; St. Luke, XV, 
11. — Jesus had not been sparing of lessons to the hard- 
hearted Pharisees, but in them, it must be remarked, 
we do not find His ordinary manner of teaching. At 
this period of His life, He spoke especially of mercy 
and pardon. Behold the parable of the good shepherd 
carrying back the lost sheep to the fold: " AVhat man 
among you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one, does 
he not leave the other ninety-nine in the desert and 
seek the lost one until he finds it ? And when he has 
found it, does he not lay it upon his shoulders with joy, 
return home, and call together his friends, saying to 
them: Rejoice with me for I have found my lost sheep ? 
I say to you," added Jesus, " there shall be more joy 
in Heaven upon one sinner's doing penance than upon 
ninety-nine just who need not penance." 

At this time, too, the parables of the lost drachma 
and the prodigal son were given forth. There is noth- 
ing more touching, nothing appeals more to the heart 
than this latter: " A man had two sons. The younger 

* " Hate " means that Christ is to be preferred to all others. 



122 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

said to his father : ' Father give me my part of the in- 
heritance. 5 " The father did so. Some days later the 
young man took all that h!ad fallen to him and went 
into a distant land. In this place, he soon squandered 
all his money. When all was gone, there came a great 
famine into that country. He was hungry and had noth- 
ing to eat. At last he hired out to a landlord who sent 
him to care for swine. And he would fain have sated 
himself on the husks 41 which the swine ate, but no one 
gave any to him. Sitting down, he began to meditate 
on his condition. How many hired servants in my 
father's house, thought he, have abundance of bread, 
and here I perish of hunger ! I will rise, I will go 
to my father, I will say to him : " Father, I have 
sinned against Heaven and against you. I am not 
worthy to be called your son ; I will be one of your ser- 
vants, your slave." 

He arose and went to his father's house. When he 
was still in the distance, his father saw him and was 
touched with pity. Running to meet him, he clasped 
him to his bosom and kissed him. " Father," said the 
prodigal. " I have sinned against Heaven and against 
you, I am not now worthy to be called your son." But 
the father only commanded his servants to bring forth 
the most beautiful robe and put it upon him, and to 
put a ring on his finger, 42 and sandals on his feet. 
Then he ordered them to bring forth and kill the fatted 
calf. " Let us eat and make merry," said he, " for my 
son was dead and is come to life, he was lost and is 

41 The fruit of the carob tree is long pods filled with black 
beans of an insipid taste. To-day still these pods are used as 
food for beasts and sometimes for poor people. Fouard. 

42 The ring especially distinguished sons of the family from 
servants, V, Dictionnaire de la Bible, article Anneau. 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 123 

found." Now the elder brother, on returning from 
the field, was displeased to see so much honor paid to 
his prodigal and sinful brother. The father gently 
justified himself by those same words : " It is but 
proper to rejoice, for this child was dead and has come 
to life, he was lost and is found." 

Never was divine mercy more tenderly described. 
The object of this beautiful parable was, doubtless, to 
recall the Gentiles to the true God, and especially to 
teach men of all ages the horrors of sin and the won- 
derful mercy of God. " It will never be known," says 
Pere Didon, " how many consciences have been moved, 
how many ruined souls have been saved, how often de- 
spair has been overcome, and how many have been led 
to repentance by this story of the prodigal son. It has 
caused a glimmer of sunshine to glow T in the most aban- 
doned and dishonorable lives." 43 

Ill, The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus; St. 
Luke, XVI, 19.- — Our Saviour's enemies were, for the 
most part, rich men who lived sumptuously > held the 
common people in disdain, and never practiced charity. 

The Sadducees, who denied a future life, held to- 
wards the poor that cruelty peculiar to those for whom 
this life is all things, and the Pharisees were very 
avaricious, as St. Luke tells us. Jesus told them that 
no one could serve two masters at the same time, that 
is, God and Mammon; 44 He assured them, in a threat- 
ening parable, that the justice of God would be meted 

43 Didon, Jesus Christ, II, 114. 

44 Hammona, in Chaldean and Syriac, signifies treasure, riches. 
It also means Mamman the god of riches. St, Augustine tells us 
that Mammon belongs to the Carthagenian language and means 
silver, riches. 



124 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

out beyond the tomb to the joy of the poor and the 
wretched. 

" There was a certain rich man," as the parable goes, 
" who was clothed in purple and fine linen, 45 and 
feasted sumptuously every day." 

" There was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who lay 
at his gate, full of sores. He would fain have eaten 
the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, but no 
one gave to him. The dogs came and licked his sores. 
It happened that the beggar died and was carried away 
by the angels in Abraham's bosom. The rich man also 
died, and was buried in Hell. Lifting up his eyes from 
the midst of his torments, he saw Abraham afar and 
Lazarus in his bosom. " Father Abraham," cried he, 
" have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip 
the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I 
am tormented in this flame." " My son," answered 
Abraham, " remember that during life you received 
good things, and Lazarus, evil things. Now he is com- 
forted and you suffer. And besides, between us and 
you there is a great chaos; so that they, who wish to 
pass from us to you or from you to us, cannot do so." 

As the condemned begged him at least to send Laza- 
rus to warn his brothers, Abraham answered: " They 
have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 
* * * If they hear not Moses and the prophets, 
neither will they believe if one rise from the dead." 

The lesson was clear; and the rich and pitiless Jews, 
who were present, saw that it was meant for them. 
Yet it extends much further, it teaches charity to the 
rich; it teaches the poor to be patient and to wait for 

45 The rich wore a purple mantel and a tunic of fine linen. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 125 

heavenly goods. In our day, many reject that distant 
hope and cling to the enjoyment of things below, be- 
cause they have lost faith in the true things of the 
future. Of course, it is allowed to labor for a good 
standing in this life; it is a duty to do so; the Church 
encourages it. But the words of our Master remain: 
" Equality and harmony will reign in Heaven alone/' 



CHAPTEK XIII. 

Jesus at Bethany — The Resurrection of Lazarus. 

st. john, xi. 

Jesus was still in Perea when a message came from 
Martha and Mary in these words : " Lord, he whom 
Thou lovest is sick." It was Lazarus. Yet Jesus did 
not start from Perea until after two days. He awaited 
the hour set aside by His Heavenly Father for the most 
famous and the most decisive of His miracles. Then 
only did He tell His disciples of His intended return to 
Judea; He also told them that Lazarus was dead. 
" Lazarus is dead/' said He, " and I am glad for your 
sakes that I was not there, in order that you may be- 
lieve." So He set out with them in spite of their fears 
for the enemies they would meet in Judea. It was 
about the end of February or the first of March. 

Lazarus indeed had died on the evening of the day 
on which the message had reached Jesus. According 
to Jewish custom, he was carried to the tomb at once; 
then the time of mourning began. On the evening of 
the third day, the last visit was made to the grave, the 



126 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

linen was drawn over the face of the dead, and the last 
resting place was closed with a stone. It was on this 
evening that Jesus set out for Bethany. 

The next morning, after walking the whole night, 
He arrived at Bethany and stopped on the edge of the 
village. Martha soon learned that He was come and 
ran to meet Him. " Lord, if Thou hadst been here," 
sobbed she, " my brother had not died. But I know 
that God will now grant whatever Thou shalt ask of 
Him." Behold, now, the sublime dialogue which took 
place between our Saviour and Martha. " Your 
brother shall rise again. I am the resurrection and the 
life; he who believes in Me, though he be dead, he 
shall live; and everyone that lives and believes in Me 
shall never die. Do you believe this ? " " Yea, Lord, 
I have believed that you are Christ, the Son of the liv- 
ing God, who has come into the world." 

The Church has found these words so beautiful that 
she repeats them in all Masses for the dead, justly hold- 
ing them as the only true consolation for those who are 
left behind. 

Martha now hastened to call her sister, as Jesus had 
requested. " Our Master is come," said she to Mary, 
" and calls for you." Mary, followed by many consol- 
ing friends, went in haste to Jesus. Falling down at. 
His feet, she repeated Martha's words: " Lord, if You 
had been here, my brother had not died." She wept, 
and those who were with her wept also. Jesus now 
trembled with emotion. " Where have you laid 
him ? " asked He. " Come and see, Lord," answered 
she. And Jesus wept. 

Followed by the sorrowing crowd, He arrived at the 
grave, which was a cavern dug out in the rock and 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 127 

closed by a flagstone. " Take away the stone/' or- 
dered Jesus. " Lord, by this time he stinks/' objected 
Martha, " for he is now dead four days." " Did I not 
say to you/' our Lord replied, " that if you believe you 
shall see the glory of God ? " The stone was removed. 
There lay the corpse. Then, in the midst of that won- 
dering crowd, Jesus gave thanks to His Heavenly 
Father, and cried with a loud voice : " Lazarus, come 
forth." On the very instant, the dead man came 
forth, bound hand and foot, with a napkin about his 
face. At sight of this, all stood silent and trembling 
with fear. " Loose him and let him go," said Jesus. 
The bandages dropped to the ground. And Lazarus 
went to his own in the full vigor of life. 

This miracle was performed before many witnesses, 
as was that wrought upon the man born blind, and the 
multiplying of the loaves. St. John, who was an eye- 
witness, describes this miracle, with accents of sincer- 
ity, in all its details. Late critics, however, have tried 
to deny the miracle, and replace it by the most improb- 
able and the most inapt sorceries. Was it more diffi- 
cult for God to recall a man from the tomb than to 
make the world from nothing? Foolish and wicked 
men who try to rob humanity of its only consolation, 
the hope of a future resurrection and of a life to come, 
and who offer nothing in exchange but the abominable 
doctrine of complete destruction ! Yet truth is 
stronger than error; humanity must have hopes; it flies 
for refuge to the Gospel and to Him who says: " I am 
the resurrection and the life." 46 

46 Bethany (El Azarieh) is to-day a poor village where the 
cave, hewn out in the mountain side, which was used as a tomb 
for Lazarus, may still be seen. It contains two apartments. A 



128 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

This miracle, of raising Lazarus to lif e, provoked still 
more our Saviour's enemies. The Sanhedrites were 
troubled, and feared that it would stir up the people at 
the coming Passover. They assembled in the house 
of the high priest, Caiaphas, which stood on a hill 47 
south of Jerusalem^ and talked over their fears. 
" This man works many miracles/' said they to one 
another, " if we let Him alone, all will believe in Him." 
They pretended to fear lest a popular revolution would 
rise in favor of Jesus, which would draw down the Ro- 
mans upon them and ruin their nation. " Do you not 
see," broke forth Caiaphas, " that we must sacrifice one 
man in order to save the people ? " This was a proph- 
ecy, as St. John tells us, which fell from the high 
priest's lips unknowingly > and in virtue of his duties; it 
was the decree of death for Jesus. At this warning, 
our Saviour left the neighborhood of Jerusalem and 
passed some weeks in a secluded village in the heart of 
a wild place, at Ephrem, near the borders of Sa- 
maria. 48 

stairway of twenty-six steps leads to the first, and the second is 
three steps lower than the first. The tomb belongs to the Turks. 
Mass is celebrated here on great pilgrimages. The early Chris- 
tians built a church over the tomb. About 200 yards from thi 
place, on the site of the house in which the three holy persons 
lived, the ruins of an ancient chapel may be seen. About a 
quarter of a mile from the village stands the " Rock of Conversa- 
tion," on which Jesus was sitting when Martha came to seek 
him. 

47 This hill is called " Mount of Evil Counsel." 

48 Modern travellers believe that Ephrem now exists as the 
town of Thayebeh, about twelve miles northeast of Jerusalem. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 129 



CHAPTEE XIV. 

The Farewell Visit to Samaria, m Galilee and in 

Perea. 

I, The Ten Lepers Cured; St. Luke, XVII, 11.— 
When the fixed time had arrived, Jesus abandoned His 
retreat and resolved to deliver Himself up. However, 
He did not go straight to Jerusalem, where He was to 
die, but wended His way towards Samaria and Galilee. 
This was, as it were, a farewell journey to the coun- 
tries in which He had spent His earthly life. St. 
Luke pictures Him passing through the midst of Sa- 
maria. He had taken this route a little more than two 
years before, when He converted the Samaritan 
woman. 

As He entered into a border town, the name of 
which is not known, He was met by ten lepers, one of 
whom was a Samaritan. These unfortunates, behold- 
ing Him from afar, cried out : " Jesus, Master, have 
mercy on us." 

" Go, show yourselves to the priests/' said Jesus. 
They obeyed and, as they went, they were made clean. 
One of them, the Samaritan, as soon as he saw that 
he was cured, retraced his steps, shouting aloud the 
praises of God. Then casting himself on the ground, 
he rendered humble thanks to his Benefactor. Jesus 
was moved to sadness by the ingratitude of the others. 
" Were there not ten made clean," asked He, " where 
are the nine ? There is no one found to return and 
give glory to God but this stranger." The Samaritan 
was soon to be rewarded. Our Saviour had healed his 
9 



130 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

body; He now purified his soul. " Arise/' said Jesus, 
" go your way; your faith has saved you." 

II, The Pharisee and the Publican; St. Luke, XVII, 
9. — Another day, on hearing some words of pride 
from His disciples, our Saviour taught them the value 
of humility, and its power with God. He described for 
them the Pharisee and the Publican who went to the 
Temple to pray. The Pharisee stood erect and prayed 
thus: " O, God, I give Thee thanks that I am not like 
the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as is 
this Publican; I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all 
that I possess." 49 The Publican, on the other hand, 
would not come near the Sanctuary; nor would he even 
raise his eyes to Heaven, but only struck his breast and 
repeated: " O, God, be merciful to me, a sinner." " I 
say to you," added Jesus, " this latter went back to his 
house justified, but the other did not; because he who 
exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles 
himself shall be exalted." 

III, Against Divorce; St. Matthew, XIX, 3. — The 
Gospel gives no further details of this sojourn in Gali- 
lee. He soon set out for Jerusalem, along the eastern 
bank of the Jordan. Doubtless He passed by many 
places of happy memory, the Lake of Genesareth and its 
villages, and the fertile fields on its shores, where He 
had wrought so many wonders, and had taught so many 
beautiful lessons. 

In the ever-faithful Perea, a large crowd still fol- 
lowed His footsteps; as usual, He healed the sick and 
caused the admiration of all by His words. 

The Pharisees, always seeking snares for His down- 

49 Every Jew owed a tithe of his goods to the support of the 
Levites. Numbers, XVIII, 12. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 131 

fall, came one day and questioned Him thus : " Is it 
lawful for a man to put away his wife for any cause ? " 
Some of their doctors held very liberal opinions on 
this subject. Many of the Jews leaned towards the 
Roman custom, which made divorce a scandalous pas- 
time. To condemn the former in any part of the land, 
was to incur enmity of a powerful party and of King 
Herod himself. Jesus, however, did not hesitate to 
cite passages of Scripture to restore the primitive in- 
dissolubility of marriage. " What God has joined to- 
gether," said He, " let no man put asunder." He went 
still further. After He had adorned marriage with 
its former purity and dignity, He began to speak to 
His disciples on virginity and the noble esteem in which 
He held it. 

IV, Jesus and the Little Children; St. Matthew, 
XIX, 13. — When Jesus had entered a certain house, 
many mothers brought their children, asking Him to lay 
His hands upon them and pray over them. This was 
the custom towards all great teachers. The disciples 
grew impatient at this scene, which was, doubtless, of 
frequent occurrence, and chided the women bitterly. 
This displeased Jesus very much. " Suffer the little 
children," said He, " and forbid them not to come to 
me, for the Kingdom is for such." 

He then called them around Him, took them in His 
arms, and laying His hands upon their heads, He 
blessed them. Afterwards, He renewed His journey. 

V, The Eich Young Man; St. Matthew, XIX, 16 — 
A young man met Jesus on the way. He was, as St. 
Mark tells us, a prince of that country, whose noble 
heart was not satisfied with keeping the common law, 
but longed for greater and higher perfection. Casting 



132 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

himself at Jesus' feet, he exclaimed: " Good Master, 
what shall I do to gain eternal life ? " 

" None is good but God," answered Jesus, at first; 
then He added, " If you wish to enter into life, 
keep the commandments." " What commandments ? " 
asked the young man, in surprise. ]STo doubt he ex- 
pected to hear some new and strange commandment. 
But Jesus, wishing to show him the worth of his own 
powers, and to teach him that God prefers simple faith 
to great deeds, answered by repeating the simple laws 
of Moses: " Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not com- 
mit adultery. Thou shalt not steal." "All these have 
I kept from my youth," answered the inquirer. " What 
is yet wanting ? " Jesus gazed at the youth and loved 
him, says the Gospel. He felt Himself drawn towards 
such candor and simplicity. "If thou wilt be per- 
fect," added He, " go sell what thou hast, and give to 
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and 
come, follow Me." But the young man had great pos- 
sessions, says the Gospel. The words, which were to 
make St. Anthony and so many others give up all 
things, fell vainly on the ears of this weak mortal, 
who felt himself unequal to the sacrifice, and went 
away. 

Jesus gazed on him as he went, and said to His dis- 
ciples, who stood around: " Amen, I say to you, a rich 
man shall hardly enter the Kingdom of Heaven." 
They were much astonished at these words, although 
they were not entirely new to them. Jesus answered 
their troubled minds thus: " Children, how hard it is 
for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom 
of God ! " Then in the words of a familiar proverb, 
he continued: " It is easier for a camel to pass through 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 166 

the eye of a 50 needle than for a rich man to enter into 
the Kingdom of God." 

" Who then can be saved ? " asked the disciples, in 
surprise. " With men, this is impossible/ 5 answered 
Jesus, " but with God all things are possible." He 
spoke, not against riches in themselves, but against the 
love of riches, and against the ill use which is often 
made of them. He also stated that poverty of spirit, 
in the midst of wealth, is beyond the powers of nature, 
and can come from God alone. Once before, He 
had highly praised the " poor in spirit " in his sermon 
on the Mount. 

50 Several interpretations are given to these words. In place 
of " camel/' some translate it " rope." It is generally believed, 
but without reason, that there was a gate at Jerusalem, called 
the gate of the needle, too low to allow a laden camel to pass. 
These explanations are useless. 



134 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEK XV. 

Jesus at Jericho akd at Bethany. 

I, Jesus Foretells His Passion; St. Luke, XVIII; St. 
Matthew, XX, 17. — The little group, having come to 
Jericho, crossed the river. The apostles were filled 
with fear; for they well knew the hatred of the Jews, 
in Judea, against their Master. Jesus, however, far 
from soothing their troubled minds, told them plainly 
of His coming suffering and death. " Behold, we go 
up to Jerusalem," said He, " and all things which were 
written by the prophets, concerning the Son of Man, 
shall be fulfilled. He shall be betrayed to the chief 
priests and to the Scribes; they shall condemn Him to 
death; they shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to be 
mocked and scourged and crucified; and the third day 
He shall rise again." Jesus had mentioned His death 
twice before, but now He did so more clearly, and 
with more detail; it was because the hour for the sacri- 
fice was drawing near. 

II, The Ambition of the Sons of Zebedee. Lesson 
on Humility; St. Matthew, XX, 20. — As yet, the dis- 
ciples had not caught the full meaning of their Mas- 
ter's words. The mother of James and John even 
came and asked Jesus to give her two sons the highest 
seats in the kingdom, which all still expected. Jesus 
simply told the two that they should suffer as He would 
suffer. Then turning to His followers : " He who 
wishes to be first among you, let him be the servant of 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 135 

all." 52 Had He not humbled himself for humanity, so 
as to become the servant of man ! It was an example 
for His disciples, by which they might attain glory. 

Ill, Zacheus; St. Luke, XIX, 1. — Jesus drew near 
to Jericho, a city adorned with many fine houses, built 
in the midst of beautiful gardens, adorned also with 
fields of palm trees and roses, the " Divine Land/' as 
Josephus calls it. It was at this time filled with strang- 
ers, on their way to Jerusalem for the Pasch. Before 
this crowd, Jesus cured two blind men, one of whom 
was called Bar-Timeas, and the crowd rejoiced at His 
entry into the city. 

There dwelt in this place, a certain Zacheus, who 
was a tax-gatherer, a chief of the custom-house officers, 
one of those toll-gatherers or Publicans so hated by the 
Jews because they collected money for the Romans. 
Zacheus wished to see Jesus. But being of very low 
stature, he could not see over the heads of the crowd; 
so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore or fig tree by 
the wayside. This eagerness pleased our Saviour, 
and when He drew near the tree He exclaimed: " Zach- 
eus, make haste and come down, for this day I must 
abide in your house." In a moment, Zacheus was on 
the ground, and immediately conducted Jesus to his 
house. He was won. The next day, before all the 
people, he thus made amends for his life : " Lord, the 
half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have 
wronged any man of anything, I restore it to him four- 
fold." Through such humility, justice and charity, 
Zacheus was saved. " This day is salvation come to 

52 The Popes, the heads of the Church, have in later times taken 
the name " Servant of the Servants of God/' in their official 
acts. 



136 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

this house/' said Jesus, to the people, " for he also is a 
son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek 
and to save that which was lost." " The sinful Zach- 
eus ? " says Pere Didon, " typifies all those who, in their 
misery, hear of Jesus, the friend and Saviour of Publi- 
cans, and desire to know and see Him in His course 
throughout humanity. He goes even beyond the 
granting of this desire. Touched by their earnestness, 
He loves to accept hospitality from them. He visits 
them. He shows them the bad state of their con- 
science. He teaches them repentance and the prac- 
tice of good works. These eager pagans are suddenly 
changed by faith; henceforth they are the true sons of 
Abraham and the chosen ones of the Kingdom." 53 

IV, Jesus at Bethany, in the House of Simon, the 
Leper; St. John, XII, 1.— From Jericho Jesus pressed 
on to Jerusalem. However, He did not enter the city 
that day, but stopped at Bethany. It was Friday even- 
ing; the Sabbath-day was just beginning. 54 After the 
Sabbath, Simon, known only as " The Leper," invited 
Jesus to his table. Lazarus was among the guests, and 
Martha served at table. A great many Jews had come, 
curious to see Jesus and the friend whom He had raised 
to life. During the repast, Mary Magdalen, sister of 
Lazarus and Martha, renewed the beautiful scene of 
Nairn. Taking an alabaster box of precious ointment 

53 Jericho no longer has that bright aspect ; the villas, the 
palm trees, and the roses have disappeared. Some miserable huts 
scattered among the ruins take the place of its former opulence. 
This modern village is called Erz-Relha. As to Zacheus, a tradi- 
tion holds that he came to Gaul (ancient France), after our 
Saviour's death, with St. Martial ( of Limoges ) . He was the 
Apostle of Quercy and had retired to the cliff of Roc-Amadour. 
The tradition that Gaul was evangelized by our Lord's own dis- 
ciples is disputed. 

64 The Jews count the day from sunset of the previous day. 



LIFE OF CHKIST. 137 

she poured it over her Saviour's head and anointed His 
feet, drying them with her long hair. 

55 The whole house was perfumed with the sweet 
odor. Judas, one of the twelve, murmured at this, de- 
claring that it was useless waste. " Why was not this 
ointment sold for three hundred pence," 56 said he, 
" and given to the poor ? " It was not love for the 
poor that called forth these words, but rather personal 
greed; for Judas, who was treasurer of the little band, 
was given to filching from the money intrusted to him. 
Some other disciples agreed with him, but with a purer 
intention. Yet Jesus praised this kind deed of the 
young woman. In answer to their complaints, He told 
them that they would always have the poor on whom to 
bestow alms. Again referring to His death, He made 
known Magdalen's thoughts, saying that she had thus, 
in advance, shown the last honors to His earthly body, 
as at His burial. Then He declared that the whole 
world would praise her for what she had just done. 
" Amen, I say to you/ 5 said He, " wheresoever this 
Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what she 
has done shall also be told for a memory of her." We 
see this prophecy fulfilled every day; pictures of Mary 
Magdalen, holding a box of perfumes, adorn the walls 
and windows of many of our churches. 57 

55 Nardi pistici in Sanskrit ; Wardostachys pisticus. The re- 
searches made at Sidon, 1887, discovered several alabastrum or 
vases for perfumes of Egyptian alabaster, in the shape of a 
powder-horn, nine inches long. The vase is very frail, being 
scarcely one-thirty-second of an inch in thickness. — See Vig- 
our oux's dans le Nouveau Testament, et les decouvertes, ar- 
cheologigues modern, chapter IV, on the Perfum de Marie- 
Madelaine. 

56 The penny was worth about sixteen cents ; hence 300 pence 
would equal $46. But counting the difference in the value, 300 
pence would now be worth almost $200. 

67 A chapel formerly stood at Bethany on the site of Simon the 
Leper's house. To-day it is in ruins. 




is y o^ -a 



PLAN OF JERUSALEM IN THE TIME OF OUR LORD. 



The Holy of Holies. 

The Holy. 

The Vestibule. 

Altar of Holocosts. 

The Treasury, with the three poor- 
boxes. 

Hall for the Priests. 

Hall for the Geutile ; inscriptions. 

Solomon's Portico. 

Antonia, Pilate's Residence. 

Gabbatha. 

Palace of the Maccabees, Herod's 
Residence 

Bridge. 



13. The Sorrowful Way. 

14. The Pool of Probatica. 

15. Bethesda. 

16. St. Anne's House. 

17. Gethsemane. 

18. Convent of the Pater, 

19. Herod the Great's Palace. 

20. Palace of Annas. 

21. Palace of Caiaphas 

22. TheCenacle. 

23. Grotto of St. Peter. 

24. Siloe. 

25. Dominus flevit (the Lord wept). 

26. The Golden Gate. 



V. 



HOLY WEEK. 



CHAPTEK I. 

Jesus Enters Jerusalem in Triumph. 

I, The Triumph of Jesus; St. Luke, XIX, 28.— The 
great week was begun. Foreseeing the trials which 
would beset the faith of His followers, Jesus allowed 
one day of glory to precede those awful days of humil- 
iation and suffering. The day after He had dined with 
Simon, the first day of the week (Sunday), Jesus 
started from Bethany to Jerusalem. It was about 
three-quarters of an hour's walk. Midway on His 
journey, He came in sight of Bethphage, which lay 
lower down to the left, between the Mount of Olives 
and the Mount of Scandal. " Go into the village which 
lies before you," said Jesus to two of His disciples, 
" there you will find a she ass and her colt, which has 
never yet been ridden; untie them and bring them 
hither. And if anyone ask why you take them, say 
that the Master has need of them." 

The disciples went to Bethphage and did as Jesus 
had told them. When they were questioned as to what 

139 



140 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

they were doing, they answered as directed and were 
permitted to take the animals. 

Instead of a saddle, a piece of cloth is used when 
riding on this animal. On this occasion, the apostles 
spread their own garments over the beast. Jesus 
mounted, and, followed by His disciples, went towards 
the top of the hill. 1 

It was not through humility that our Saviour had 
chosen the ass for his entrance into the Holy City. He 
was going to His triumph; and this creature, so grace- 
ful and strong, so sure-footed among the mountains, 
was a good symbol of His peaceful royalty. The ass 
of Palestine is as noble as the horse and more valuable. 
Jacob, in his well-known prophecy, calls Issachar " a 
strong ass." It symbolizes the arts of peace as the 
horse typifies the arts of war. 

When the disciples saw Jesus mounted as the ancient 
kings rode, they thought their longed-for earthly king- 
dom was at hand. Then the air was filled with cries of 
" Hosanna to the Son of David ! Blessed is He that 
comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to the King 
of Israel. Hosanna in the Highest ! " 2 At the same 
time the people took branches from the fig trees and 
olive trees on the hill, and strewed their cloaks along 
the way before Jesus, according to the Oriental custom. 

The Pharisees, who might always be found in our 
Saviour's train of followers, were troubled at this 
great display of honor shown Him. " Master," said 

1 A large stone upturned in 1877 marks the spot, according to 
tradition, where Jesus mounted. This stone was covered with 
paintings, representing the resurrection of Lazarus, the trium- 
phant entrance; on it was also the name Bethphage. 

2 Psalm CXVII, 26. This whole psalm is a song of triumph 
and of the workings of grace. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 14ri 

they to Jesus, with an air of discontent and anger, 
" make your disciples be silent." " If they hold their 
peace/' answered Jesus, " the stones will cry out." 

II, The Prophecy on Jerusalem. — They arrived at 
the top of Olivet. Jerusalem lay sparkling in the mid- 
day sun. The pale marble of the Temple glistened, 
and its gilded domes gleamed like a thousand flames. 
The songs of triumph grew louder. But Jesus stopped. 
That Jerusalem which He loved, and which now poured 
forth her songs of praise would, in a few days, disown 
Him; within those walls He would soon die. This 
thought rent His heart. He wept over the wicked city. 
" If thou hadst known," said He, " if thou hadst 
known, or if thou didst know on this day, which is yet 
given to thee, what could bring thee peace ! 3 But now 
it is hidden from thy eyes. For the time will come 
when thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and 
beset thee on every side, shall destroy thee and shall 
crush thy inhabitants to the ground; they shall not 
leave a stone upon a stone, because thou hast not 
known the time in which thy God visited thee ! " 

Forty years had barely elapsed when this awful 
prophecy was fulfilled to the letter. The Romans, 
under Titus, raised a wall around the city, that trench 
which Jesus had foretold. A million Jews, reunited 
for the Pasch, were hemmed in and perished; Jerusa- 
lem henceforth will be but a heap of ruins. 

Meanwhile, another crowd entered from the other 
side of the city. They had learned that He, who raised 
Lazarus to life, was come; so they hastened to meet 
Him. The Galileans, who had already arrived for the 

§ Jerusalem, in Hebrew, means " house of peace." 



142 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Pasch, and were encamped between the city and 
Olivet, joined those from Jerusalem. All carried 
branches and cried out, " Hosanna ! " 

Jesus crossed the Cedron, went up the slope of 
Ophel, and entered by the Golden Gate* with a long 
line of people, before and after Him, shouting for joy. 
The ranks were unbroken till they reached the Temple, 
where Jesus entered. The Pharisees, to their bitter 
chagrin, saw this triumph, which they could not pre- 
vent, and were all the more determined to put Jesus 
to death. However, Jesus was now prepared to die. 
Was not this day's triumph filled with promises ? Did 
He not say clearly that, after undergoing suffering and 
death, Christ would rise again, gloriously for an ever- 
lasting triumph? That evening Jesus went to the 
Mount of Olives to spend the night in prayer — in the 
bosom of solitude. 5 

4 The Golden Gate has been walled up by the Mussulmans. 

5 The Church commemorates the triumph of Jesus in the poetic 
ceremony of Palm Sunday. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 143 

CHAPTEE II. 
Monday of Holy Week. 

I, The Barren Fig Tree; St. Matthew, XXI, 18.— 
Early the next day, Jesus and His disciples started for 
Jerusalem. On the way He saw a fig tree covered with 
leaves; but finding no fruit thereon to satisfy His hun- 
ger, 6 He condemned the tree and immediately it began 
to wither. It was a symbol of the Jews and the hypoc- 
risy of all ages which hides a useless life under a beau- 
tiful exterior. Jesus also spoke of the penalty at- 
tached to these vanities. 

II, Jesus in the Temple; The Greek Messengers; 
Jesus glorified; St. John, XII, 20.— When Jesus 
reached the Temple, He healed the afflicted who were 
brought to Him, both the lame and the blind. A 
crowd soon gathered around to hear Him; He spoke to 
them, and they were filled with admiration. 

Old and young cried out with one voice : " Hosanna 
to the Son of David." The priests and chiefs of the 
Scribes were wroth at this homage and asked Jesus if 
He heard what they said. " Yes," answered He, 
" have you not read the Scriptures, which say, " Out 
of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast per- 
fect praise ? " 7 

Towards evening, some Greeks wished to speak to 

6 The fig tree bears fruit before it puts forth leaves. At this 
time of year, Jesus sought green and early figs. 

7 Psalm, VIII, 3. 



144 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Jesus. 8 Philip and Andrew presented them. On he- 
holding these strangers, Jesus was filled with joy, for 
He saw in them assurance that the Gentiles would be 
converted. " The hour is come," exclaimed He, " in 
which the Son of Man will be glorified." 

At the same time a voice from Heaven was heard in 
these words: " I have glorified Him and I will glorify 
Him again." The Father was pleased at the triumph 
of the Son as He was pleased with Him at the Jordan, 
and on Thabor. Some thought thunder, others said an 
angel spoke to Him. 

When it was night, Jesus went again to the Mount 
of Olives. 

8 Tradition sees, in these strangers, legates from Abgar V, 
King of Edessa, who bore a message from their master. Jesus 
answered by letter and even sent His picture.* See the fact 
and legend of the letter and the portrait: Dictionnaire de la 
Bible, article Abgar. 

* The authenticity of this letter and picture is generally doubted 
to-day. — Translator. 



XIFE OF CHRIST. 



CHAPTER- III. 

Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week. 

I, The Enemies of Jesus; St. Mark, XI, 27.— On 
Tuesday, Jesus went again to the Temple. A large 
crowd soon pressed around Him; the high priests, the 
Scribes and the Ancients now arrive. Irritated at the 
influence Jesus had gained, they wished to do away 
with Him and regain their power with the people. 
They asked Him haughtily who had sent Him, and by 
what right He spoke thus. He confounded them by 
asking what they thought of John the Baptist and his 
baptism. They dared not deny that John was a 
prophet, for then the people would stone them; and 
they dared not acknowledge that he was from God, for 
then Jesus would ask why they had not believed in him. 
They answered that they did not know, and learning 
prudence from this defeat, they held their tongues and 
listened. But Jesus did not lose sight of them. By 
clear images, He showed the Jewish people that they 
had turned from Him, and that God would soon reject 
them. 

II, The Parable of the Faithless Husbandmen; St. 
Matthew, XXI, 33. — A father of a family planted a 
vineyard, set a hedge around it, built a press and a 
tower therein, let it out to husbandmen, and then went 
into a foreign land. In the proper season, he sent his 
servants to gather the fruits thereof. But the hus- 
bandmen seized them, beat one, killed another, and 
stoned a third. A great number of other servants, 
who were sent, received like treatment. Finally the 

10 



146 LIFE OF CHKIST. 

master sent his own son, but they cast him out and 
killed him. " When the lord of the vineyard shall 
come, what will he do to these men?" asked Jesus. 
" He will put the murderers to death/' answered the 
Sanhedrites, " and will give the vineyard to others, 
who will deliver up the fruit in due time." " Thus 
shall the Kingdom of God be taken away from you/' 
replied Jesus, " and shall be given to others who will 
bear fruits thereof." 

The chief priests and Pharisees saw that He spoke of 
them; they would fain have stopped Him, but they 
feared the people, who looked upon Him as a prophet. 

Ill, Parable of the Marriage Feast; St. Matthew, 
XXII, 1. — After the priests and Pharisees had de- 
parted, the people still meditated on the threat which 
had just been uttered against them. Jesus now pro- 
nounces it a second time under a different figure : A cer- 
tain king made a marriage for his son, and sent out his 
servants to call in the guests. But they would not 
come. Then he sent others who should tell them to 
come, for his feast was ready and his beeves and fat- 
tlings were prepared. Again they refused; one went 
to his farm, another to his business, some even seized 
the servants, treated them outrageously and put them 
to death. 

At this the king was enraged, and sending out his sol- 
diers, he destroyed these murderers and burnt their 
city. 

Then he said to the servants: "The wedding feast 
is ready, but those whom I invited are not worthy of 
the honor shown to them. Go now into the streets 
and highways and bring in whomsoever you may find." 
They went through the streets and brought in all that 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 147 

they met, both the good and the bad. The dining-hall 
was filled. The king went in to see the guests, and 
found there a man without the nuptial robe which was 
given to each invited guest. " My friend/' said he, 
" how came you here without a wedding garment ? " 
As the man made no reply, the king ordered his ser- 
vants to bind him hand and foot and cast him out into 
the darkness. " Many are called, but few are chosen," 
said Jesus, as He drew the parable to a close. This 
thought, plain to all His hearers, was the idea contained 
in the whole parable. He represented the Jews as 
stubborn guests; thus He might well say, 9 in speaking 
of the synagogue, " many are called, but few are 
chosen." 

IV, Cesar's Penny; St. Matthew, XXII, 16.— The 
Pharisees, not daring to attack Jesus in person, sent 
others to ask insidiously if it was allowed to pay tribute 
to Caesar, that is, to the emperor and the Romans. 
Thus they reasoned: if He answer " no," He will offend 
the emperor, and if He answer " yes," He will offend 
the Jews. Jesus, however, saw their snare. " Why 
do you tempt me, ye hypocrites ? " He asked ; " show 
me the coin." They handed Him a Roman penny, on 
which was stamped the likeness of Tiberius, the date, 
etc. " Whose image and inscription is this ? " asked 
Jesus. They answered that it was Cesar's. " Ren- 
der therefore to Gpsar the things that are Caesar's, 
and to God the things that are God's," replied Jesus. 
By this response, our Divine Redeemer clearly drew 
the line between temporal and spiritual power. We 
must pay just tribute and obedience to earthly rulers, 
but there are certain bounds which must not be over- 

9 Cardinal Pie, Oeuvres Sacerdotales. tome I, p. 274. 



148 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

stepped; side by side with these rights are those of 
God, sacred and secure. The Church teaches a proper 
obedience to powers of the world, but she reserves do- 
minion over consciences, and allows no human power 
to encroach on the rights of God. This apt decision of 
our Saviour did not deter the Jews, three days later, 
from accusing Him of dissuading the people from pay- 
ing tribute to Caesar. 

V, The Doctrine of Resurrection ; St. Luke, XX, 
27. — It was now the Sadducees' turn. They thought 
to puzzle Jesus by setting before Him the supposed case 
of a woman who had, in turn, married seven brothers, 
and asking whose wife she would be at the resurrection. 
With one word Jesus scattered the empty arguments 
of these narrow-minded men. " In this world/' said 
He, " men and women marry, but among those who 
shall be judged worthy of the world to come, it shall 
not be so. All will live forever, equal to the angels, 
as the children of God." 

As a proof of the resurrection, which they denied, 
He quoted the Scriptures, in which they believed. 
" Did not God say to Moses," said He, ■" I am the God 
of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 
Jacob ? 10 For God is not the God of the dead, but the 
God of the living. And He is not the God of your 
fathers alone, for all live to Him." The countless 
multitude of souls outlive the death of the body, and 
even the bodies will one day come to life again and 
live forever. 

One of the doctors, thus confounded, stepped forth 
and asked Jesus what is the first commandment. Jesus 
answered in these few words, which have become the 

10 Exodus, III, 6. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 149 

guidance of all souls : " Thou shalt love the Lord, 
thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, 
and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. 
This is the first commandment, and the second is like 
to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There 
is no other commandment greater than these." 

VI, The Pharisees Denounced; St. Matthew, XXIII, 
1 . — A number of Pharisees were mingled in the crowd. 
Doubtless they were debating on Christ whom they 
looked upon merely as a man and not the Son of God. 

Jesus reminded them that Christ, the son of David, 
was greater than David, and that the Psalmist him- 
self had proclaimed Him his Lord and Master. 11 Then 
turning to the people, He condemned the hypocrisy of 
those men who were so strict in enforcing the law on 
others, whilst they themselves did not observe them. 
" The Scribes and Pharisees/' said He, " have sat on 
the chair of Moses. Observe them and do whatever 
they shall tell you, but do not imitate their deeds, for 
they say but act not. They bind together heavy and 
unbearable burdens, and lay them on the shoulders of 
others, but they themselves will not touch them. They 
do all their works before the eyes of men; for this 
reason they broaden their phylacteries 12 and lengthen 
their fringes. They love the first places at feasts and 
the first chairs in the synagogues, and they love to be 
hailed in the street as Rabbi, that is, master." 

After this formal censure, Jesus hurled against these 
proud men the most frightful anathemas that had yet 
come from His lips; they are called the eight Vaes 

11 Psalm. CIX. 

12 A role of parchment on which certain words of the law were 
written. The Jews wore them on the forehead and on the left 
breast. 



J 50 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

(woes) or maledictions. He cursed their hardness of 
heart, their rapacity, their wicked formality, their hy- 
pocrisy, and their cruelty towards those w r ho upbraided 
them for their crimes. Xow more than ever they 
were determined to kill Him. It was now, on their 
part, only a question of time and opportunity. 

VII, The Widow's Mite; St. Mark, XII, 41.— Jesus 
was sitting in the court near the boxes into which the 
offerings for the support of the Temple w r ere dropped. 
The rich threw in large sums. A poor widow, who had 
come alone, brought two small coins, w 7 orth a little less 
than one-tenth of a cent of our money. Jesus called 
His disciples to Him and said: " This poor woman 
has indeed given more than all others. The others 
have cast in only a part of their abundance; but she, 
from her w r ant, has cast in the little she had for a 
living." 

VIII, The Fall of Jerusalem and the End of the 
World; St. Mark, XIII. — As Jesus was going out of 
the Temple, one of the disciples made a remark about 
the magnificence and strength of the Temple. In an- 
swer Jesus again foretold its fall: " See all these 
great buildings; there wall not remain a stone upon a 
stone; all will be destroyed." 

The little band went down as far as the Cedron, 
crossed the stream, and climbed the slope of Olivet. 
When they reached the top, Jesus sat down. Jerusa- 
lem glistened in the last rays of the setting sun. All 
that they had seen and done on that day seemed to 
prepare their spirits to hear the awful signs which will 
mark the end of the world. The disciples brought the 
subject about unwittingly. Recalling those words 
which He had just uttered on leaving the Temple, they 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 151 

asked: "Master, when will those things happen, and 
how shall we know that they have come to pass? 
What will be the sign of Your coming at the end of 
ages ? " 

Jesus gave them a twofold answer. Uniting in 
thought the guilty city and the world, He foretold the 
end of both, and told them what would take place be- 
fore each event. 

In both cases there will be wars, uprisings, troubles 
in nature^ fierce persecutions, lamentable weakness, 
false prophets and seducers. The end of the world 
in particular will be accompanied by all kinds of ter- 
rible events. The sun shall be darkened, the moon 
shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from the 
heavens, and the powers of the heavens shall be dis- 
turbed. 

This frightful commotion will be only the prelude 
to the final scene. The hour is unknown; so Jesus 
told them to be on the watch and related the parable 
of the ten virgins. 

IX, Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Virgins; 
St. Matthew, XX V, 1. — Ten virgins went out in the 
evening to await the arrival of the bridal pair. Five 
of them wisely brought oil. The other five took no 
thought whatever. At midnight, the cry went up: 
" Behold the bridegroom comes, go ye forth to meet 
him." All arose and hastened to prepare their lamps. 
Then the foolish and careless virgins, finding their 
lamps dry, asked the others to share their oil with them. 
" Lest there be not enough for us and for you," re- 
plied the wise virgins, " go you rather to the merchant 
and buy oil." They went, but in the meantime the 
bridegroom came. Those who were ready entered 



152 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

with him to the feast. Soon after, the others came 
and sought admittance, but the bridegroom told them 
that he knew them not. " Watch ye, therefore/ 5 con- 
cluded Jesus, " because you know not the day nor the 
hour." 

X, The Last Judgment; St. Matthew, XXV, 31.— 
After exhorting them to be watchful, Jesus now de- 
scribes the last judgment and thus finishes the picture 
of the end of the world. He tells them that the Son 
of Man shall come in His majesty with His angels 
around Him, and shall sit upon a throne of glory. 
All nations will be gathered together before Him, and 
He will separate them one from another, as the shep- 
herd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place 
the sheep on His right hand and the goats on his left. 13 
Then He will say to those on the right: " Come ye 
blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared 
for you from the foundation of the world. For I was 
hungry and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty and you 
gave Me to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me 
in; naked and you covered Me; sick and you visited 
Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the 
just will ask: " Lord, when did we do all this for 
you ? " "Amen, I say unto you," the Lord will re- 
spond, " all that you have done to the least of My 
brethren you have done unto Me." 

Then the Judge will turn to the left with these awful 
words: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlast- 

13 With the Jews the goat is the symbol of wickedness. This 
scene described in the Gospel is recalled by a stanza of the Dies 
Irae : 

" With Thy favored sheep 
0, place me; 
Nor among the goats abase me. 

But to Thy right hand upraise me." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 153 

ing fire winch was prepared for the devil and his wicked 
angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing 
to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink; 
I was an exile and you would not take Me in; naked 
and you covered Me not ; sick and in prison and you did 
not visit Me." To their asking when they treated Him 
thus, He will reply: "Amen, I say to you, to refuse 
good to the least of My brethren is to refuse it to Me." 
Then the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, 
and the good will go to everlasting happiness. 

By thus describing the end of the world and the 
manner in which it will occur, Jesus ended His teach- 
ing. Whilst He was speaking, His enemies had 
gathered at the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, to 
plan His death. Judas, who had not followed his 
Master to Olivet, gained admittance to the house and 
asked what they would give if he delivered Jesus to 
them. They offered him thirty shekels, 14 the price of 
a slave. Judas agreed to the sum. 

XI, Wednesday of Holy Week. — Jesus did not go 
to Jerusalem on Wednesday. The Gospels do not tell 
us how He spent this day. Doubtless He remained in 
some retreat on the Mount of Olives, preparing Him- 
self by prayer for the great things which were about 
to happen. 

14 The shekel was worth about sixty- six cents ; hence, thirty 
shekels made about $20. 



154 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

CHAPTER IV. 
Holy Thursday. 

I, The Pasch; The Cenacle. 15 — All Jerusalem was 
making ready for the Pasch, which fell that year on 
Saturday, the Sabbath-day. 16 The paschal lamb, which 
was slain on Friday afternoon, was eaten in the even- 
ing of the same day, the vigil of the feast. This feast 
may be traced back to the earliest days of the nation; 17 
its object was to recall the remembrance of their deliv- 
erance from Egypt by the hand of God, which is a 
symbol of man's moral freedom. Jesus had decided 
to observe the legal repast twenty-four hours earlier. 
On Thursday, about noon perhaps, He called Peter and 
John and bade them go to prepare for the Pasch. To 
their asking where it would be, He answered that when 
they reached the city they would meet a man carrying 
a pitcher of water, and that they should go into the 
house in which he would enter, and that they should 
there tell the father of the family that the Master 
desired a room in which He and His disciples might eat 
the Pasch on that day. "And he will show you a large 
room," added Jesus, " together with couches for re- 
clining at table. There prepare ye what is necessary." 
The disciples went to Jerusalem, found all as Jesus 
had told them, and prepared the Pasch. 

15 It is needless, henceforth, to refer to the text. The reader 
will readily find all details of the Passion in the end of the 
Gospel. 

16 As the Jews counted the day from sunset of the previous day, 
Saturday, the day of the Pasch, began its vigil at six o'clock the 
evening before. 

17 Exodus, XII, 6. 8. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 155 

In the evening, Jesus took His place at table with 
the twelve apostles. The house which he had chosen 
was in the southwest of Jerusalem, on Mt. Sion; it is 
called the Cenacle (House of the Lord's Supper), and 
is cherished by man as one of the fondest remembrances 
of the Gospel. 18 The repast began; this was the last 
Pasch celebrated during our Saviour's earthly life; 
symbols gave place to realities. " From this time/' 
said Jesus, " I will not eat this Pasch till its mystery 
be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." But before in- 
stituting this great sacrament, He wished to teach them 
a lesson of humility, and at the same time to show 
them with what purity they should approach Holy 
Communion with Him in the future. 

II, The Washing of the Feet. — At the time when 
the rule of the feast ordered the hands to be purified, 19 
Jesus rose from table, laid aside His mantle, girded 
Himself with a towel, then pouring water into a basin, 
He began to wash the disciples' feet. He started with 
Peter. But Peter would not have it so, and with his 
usual ardour, cried out: " What, Lord, dost Thou 
wash my feet ! " " You know not what I wish to do," 
replied Jesus, /'but you shall know hereafter." 
" Never," answered the apostle, " never shalt Thou 
wash my feet." " If I wash them not, you shall have 
no part with me," said Jesus. This threat conquered 
Peter. " Lord, not only my feet," he meekly ex- 
claimed, " but also my hands and my head." 

Jesus now refers for the first time to the treason of 

18 The Cenacle still exists. The Mussulmans have converted it 
into a mosque. The hall in which The Last Supper was held 
is on the first floor. 

19 For the rites of the Jewish Pasch, see Fouard, II, IV, Ritual 
judaique de la Paque. 



156 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

Judas. " You are pure/' said He, " but not all." Ju- 
das was unmoved by this appeal of mercy from his 
Master and allowed Him to wash his feet. 

When He had finished all, Jesus again put on His 
garment and took His place at table. " Do you un- 
derstand what I have just done ? " asked He, " you 
call me Lord and Master, and well you may, for I am 
such. If, then, I being your Lord and Master, have 
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's 
feet. I have given you an example that you may do 
as I have done." 20 Then He thought of the betrayal 
which was near at hand. "Amen, Amen," said He, 
" one of you will betray me." The disciples looked 
one at another, not knowing w T hat He meant. With 
downcast heart, each began to ask, " Is it I, Lord ? " 
" It is one of you twelve," answered Jesus, " the one 
who dips his hand in the dish with Me. And the Son 
of Man goes as it is written of Him; but woe to that 
man by whom He shall be betrayed. It were better 
for him had he never been born." Judas even dared 
to ask if it were he. " Yes; it is you," answered Jesus, 
but He spoke in a tone audible to the traitor only. 

Ill, The Institution of the Holy Eucharist. — The 
feast went on. Whilst they were eating, Jesus took 
bread, 21 and giving thanks to His Heavenly Father, He 
blessed it. Then He broke it according to custom, and 
said: " Take ye, and eat; this is My body which shall 

20 This example of Jesus was adopted with filial respect by the 
Church. From the first centuries the washing of feet, the 
Podonipsia, has been practiced. It has even been adopted by 
Catholic sovereigns. — See Martigny, Dictionnaire des Antiquites 
chretiennes, article Ablution. 

21 During the days of the Pasch, from noon on the 13th of 
Nisan, none but unleaven bread was eaten. Hence, the use of 
unleaven bread in the Mass throughout the Western Church. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 157 

be delivered for you; do this in commemoration of 
Me." Thus He instituted the Holy Eucharist, the 
great sacrament of the new law, and at the same time, 
He established the Christian Priesthood. By this all- 
powerful word, He had changed the substance of bread 
and wine into His living body. At the close of the 
meal, He took the cup which had just been filled for 
the third time, as was customary; it was called the 
chalice of benediction. He blessed it and gave it to 
His disciples with these words: " Drink ye all of this, 
for this is My blood, the blood of the New Testament, 
the blood which shall be shed for many unto the re- 
mission of sins." The new Covenant with Jesus had 
replaced the old, and had its victim like that of Sinai, 22 
and was sealed with blood. But in the new, the blood 
of the Divine Lamb shed once for all took the place 
of all victims slain from the beginning of the world, 
and served for the redemption of all. 

The Apostles had received Holy Communion for the 
first time, and Judas was among them. 23 This wretched 
man had not shrunk from this horrible sacrilege. 
Jesus had tried to spare him, but all in vain. Nothing 
was left the traitor but to complete his crime. Our 
blessed Redeemer now repeated His former words: 
" The hand of the traitor is with Me at table. The 
Son of Man goes, but woe to him who shall betray 
Him." The troubled apostles again asked to whom 
these words were referred. One of them had his head 
on his Master's breast; it was John, whom Jesus loved. 

22 Exodus, XXIV, 8. 

23 Commentators are divided on the fact of Judas' communion. 
Some maintain that he received Holy Communion, others hold 
that he left before the communion of the other apostles. One 
interpretation seems to have as much ground as the other. 



158 LIFE OF CHKIST. 

Simon-Peter made a sign to John and said: "Whom 
does He mean ? " 24 The disciple drew nearer to Jesus 
and asked who it was. Jesus answered that it was he 
to whom He would reach a piece of bread dipped in the 
dish. And when He had dipped the morsel, He gave 
it to Judas, the son of Simon, the man of Kerioth. 
With that morsel, says St. John, Satan entered into 
him. Then Jesus said to Judas: "What thou dost, 
do quickly. " The apostles thought Jesus had sent 
him on some mission relating to the company. Judas 
went out. It was then dark. 



CHAPTEK V. 

The Last Discourses of Jesus. 

I, The Discourse in the Cenacle. — The feast was 
over. Knowing that the hour drew near, Jesus spoke 
at some length to His disciples. In a manner He 
spoke of His Testament, and subjoined the highest 
teachings. St. John gives us a summary of His words. 

Our Saviour recommended charity to those whom 
He was about to leave. " I give you a new command- 
ment," said He, " that you love one another as I have 
loved you. All shall know that you are My disciples 
if you have love one for another." It was indeed a 
new commandment, for it tore down the barriers be- 
tween nations and set up anew the idea of universal 
brotherhood; new, indeed, for it went even to self J 
sacrifice for the love of our neighbor. 

II, Peter's Denial Foretold; Infallibility. — Seeing 

24 This is the moment chosen by Leonardo de Vinci in his 
famous Last Supper, at Milan. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 



159 



that their Master meant to leave them, Peter asked 
where He was going. " Whither I go, thou canst not 
follow now," answered Jesus, " but thou shalt follow 
later." " Why can I not follow Thee now/' asked 
Peter, " I will lay down my life for Thee." " Wilt 
thou lay down thy life for Me ? " said Jesus, "Amen, 
amen, the cock shall not crow till thou deny me thrice." 

A few moments later, our Saviour again addressed 
Peter: " Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that 
he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee 
that thy faith fail not. And thou, being converted, 
strengthen thy brethren." These words bespoke the 
infallibility which would be given to the Roman Pon- 
tiff — the Pope. Our Lord permitted the apostle to 
fall to show r that the gift of God would come upon him, 
and that of himself he was weak and miserable. 

Jesus then spoke for some time on Himself, on His 
Heavenly Father, on the Holy Ghost, and on the peace 
He would leave to His loved ones. "I am the way, 
the truth, and the life," said He, " he who believes in 
Me shall do the works that I do, and greater than these 
shall he do. * * * If you ask the Father any- 
thing in My name, He will give it to you. * ' * * I 
will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. * * * 
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another 
Consoler, who will abide with you forever. * * * 
The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My 
name, will teach you all things, and will bring back to 
your minds all that I have said to you. * * * 
Peace I leave you, My peace I give unto you." After 
the usual hymn, 25 the little band, with Jesus at their 
head, wended their way to Gethsemane. 

25 The Psalm, CXXXV, Confitemini Domine. 



160 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Ill, The Discourse on the Way to Gethsemane. — 
It was about nine o'clock in the evening. Jesus went 
up the valley of Cedron. The hill of Ophel, on His 
left, all covered with vines, suggested a figure to Him. 
" I am the true vine/' said He, " and My Father is the 
husbandman. He will take away from Me every 
branch that does not bear fruit, and He will prune 
every one that bears fruit that it may bring forth 
more fruit. * * * Abide in Me; as the branch 
cannot bear fruit unless it is joined to the vine, so 
neither can you unless you abide in Me." Jesus pro- 
longed this figure, speaking of the union between the 
branch and the vine-stock, and of the fruits which this 
union produces, of the trimming of the vine, and of 
the dead branches cast into a heap to be burned. 

Then His thoughts turned to the trials which awaited 
His disciples. " The servant is not greater than his 
master," said He; "if they have persecuted Me, they 
will also persecute you." And He pictured to them 
the whole world turned loose against them, dragging 
them before tribunals and putting them to death. It 
is not strange then that the followers of Jesus Christ 
are persecuted; and it is a mistake to expect to find 
them in peace and power. In the state of quiet and 
dominion for which some Christians long, these words 
of Christ would be unfulfilled: " As they have per- 
secuted Me, they will also persecute you." 

Jesus now told the apostles that they would soon 
desert Him, and He also made mention of His own 
Resurrection. Peter a second time declared that he 
would not deny Him. "Amen, I say to you," answered 
Jesus, " this night before the cock crows thou wilt 
deny me thrice. But have confidence," said He to 
all, " for I have overcome the world." 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 161 

IV, The Prayer of Jesus. — Jesus arrived at the 
bridge across the Cedron, where the channel grew nar- 
row. He stood still, raised His eyes to Heaven and 
uttered a sublime prayer. He asked the Father to 
glorify His Son by the Resurrection. He prayed for 
the disciples whom He had received from His hand, 
and over whom He Himself had watched with such 
tender care. He prayed for the Church which was 
soon to set out from Calvary. " I pray not for My 
disciples alone," said He, " but for all those who 
through their word shall believe in Me, that they may 
be one, as Thou, Father, in Me, and I in Thee; that 
they also be one in us, that the world may believe that 
Thou hast sent Me." When He ended this prayer, 
Jesus crossed the stream. 
11 



PART THRD. 



OUR SAVIOUR'S PASSION AND 
RESURRECTION. 



CHAPTEE I. 

Jesus Aekested in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

I, Gethsemane. — To the northeast of Jerusalem, on 
the left bank of the Cedron, at the foot of Olivet, there 
was a garden called Gethsemane (oil-press), in which 
were many shady olive trees. Hither Jesus often 
went to pray in solitude. He left the disciples near 
the gate, on this occasion, and taking with Him only 
Peter, James, and John, who had witnessed His 
glorious Transfiguration, He went into the densest part 
of the inclosure. " My soul is sorrowful even unto 
death," 1 said He to them; " stay you here, watch and 
pray." As He spoke, His face bore signs of great 
sadness. His look was downcast as if stupor mingled 
with fear overcame Him. He went about a stone's 

l Bossuet interprets the text : " My soul is sorrowful even unto 
death," by saying that Jesus had sorrow great enough to cause 
His death, had not a divine power sustained Him for further 
suffering. Sermon pour le Vendredi Saint. (Sermon for Holy 
Thursday.) 






164 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

throw from them into a cave which was to become the 
celebrated grotto of the Agony. 2 

The Agony of Jesus and His Bloody Sweat. — Now 
took place that bitter struggle between the natural 
feelings of Jesus and His reason bowed down in obedi- 
ence to the Divine Will. This struggle is beautifully 
described in the Gospels. Falling down on His knees, 
and bowing His head to the ground, our Divine Re- 
deemer prayed: "My Father, all things are possible 
to Thee; remove this chalice from Me." He meant 
the bitterness and agony of His Passion which was now 
begun. Then regaining Himself, He added: "But 
yet not My will, but Thine be done." This first 
struggle lasted an hour. Meanwhile, the three dis- 
ciples had fallen asleep. Coming back to them, Jesus 
addressed Peter, who had lately boasted so much: 
" What, sleepest thou; coulclst thou not watch one hour 
with me ? Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into 
temptation. The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the 
flesh is weak." 

Jesus went again to the grotto and prayed a second 
time: "My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away 
unless I drink it, Thy will be done." Again He re- 
turned and found them sleeping, and they knew not 
how to answer Him. He went a third time to pray. 
Then followed the great conflict. The struggle was 
so terrible, the burden of the sins of an ungrateful 
humanity pressed so heavily upon Our Blessed Saviour 

2 The Grotto of the Agony, is north of the garden. The en- 
trance to this grotto is a sort of lobby in the roof. It is about 
fifty-one feet long, twenty-seven feet wide, and eleven feet high. 
Tt is irregularly formed and sustained by several pillars. There 
is an opening near the center which admits the light of day. 
Tt is a natural cavern; the rock, almost entirely bare, is painted 
only in certain spots. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 165 

that He fell to the ground in agony and a sweat in 
drops of blood trickled down from His body. At the 
same time, He repeated again and again: "My 
Father, if this chalice cannot pass away unless I drink 
it, Thy will be done." To sweat blood certainly marks 
the highest degree of suffering man can bear; so an 
angel came from Heaven to comfort and sustain the 
humanity of the Son of God. 

This great combat ended, Jesus went to His dis- 
ciples: " Sleep ye now and take your rest," said He. 
Then when the time was come (about midnight), He 
awoke them and added: "Enough now, the hour is 
at hand in which the Son of Man shall be betrayed into 
the hands of sinners. Arise, let us go; behold he is 
at hand who will betray Me." 

Ill, The Betrayal of Judas. — A band of soldiers 
now appeared at the entrance of the garden, some with 
swords, others with clubs. Several carried torches and 
lanterns. At their head marched the traitor Judas. 
Jesus stood before them and asked whom they sought. 
" Jesus of Nazareth," was the reply. " I am He," 
answered Jesus. At this they drew back and fell to 
the ground. By this miracle, Jesus wished to show 
what power He wielded and how easy it was for Him to 
prevail over those who came to take Him. 

The soldiers arose to their feet. Jesus again asked 
whom they sought, and received the same reply: 
" Jesus of Nazareth." And He said : " I have told you 
that I am He." Then Judas, seeing that the soldiers 
still wavered, stepped forth, kissed Jesus, and ex- 
claimed: " Hail Master." This was the signal agreed 
upon. " Friend, why hast thou come," said Jesus, 
" dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss ? " And 
the soldiers seized Him. 



1C)6 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

Peter, always impetuous, drew his sword and struck 
off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. 
But Jesus healed the wound and forbade His followers 
to use violence. " Thinkest thou," said He, turning 
to Peter, " that I cannot ask My Father and He will 
give Me presently more than twelve legions of angels ? 
How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say 
it must be so ? " Jesus allows Himself to be bound; 
they start toward Jerusalem; but the disciples betook 
themselves to flight. 



CHAPTER II. 
The Trial of Jesus. 

I, Jesus before Annas, the High Priest. — There 
were at this time two high priests in Jerusalem, Annas, 
who was deposed by the Romans, but still recognized 
by the Jews, and Caiaphas, chosen by the Romans. 
Both dwelt in the same neighborhood, 3 south of Mt. 
Sion, not far from the Cenacle. Jesus was first taken 
before Annas. The hight priest questioned Him about 
His disciples and His teachings. " I have spoken 
openly," answered Jesus; "I have always taught in 
the synagogues where all might enter; I have spoken 
nothing in secret. Why do you question Me? Ask 
those who have heard; they know what I have said." 
At this an officer struck Him in the face for speaking 
thus to the high priest. " If I have spoken evil, show 

3 A wall to-day separates their dwellings. In the time of our 
Lord, they probably had a common court. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 167 

the evil," said Jesus; " but if I have spoken well, why 
do you strike Me ? " 4 Annas now sent Him bound to 
Caiaphas. 

II, Jesus before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. — 
Caiaphas assembled the Sanhedrin, a kind of high 
court, composed of seventy-one members. It was 
never allowed to open or examine a case at night, nor 
to hear witnesses. The law ordered that a full day 
should intervene between the hearing and the sentence, 
during which time the judges were obliged to observe 
strict temperance. 'No notice was taken of any at- 
tempt, on the part of the accused, to gain favor. This 
trial then was as illegal as it w T as unjust. Jesus stood 
before His enemies. Several false witnesses, who had 
been brought, were sent away because they contra- 
dicted themselves; one only was kept. Jesus had 
openly declared in the Temple : " Destroy this Holy 
of Holies and in three days I will rebuild it." Words 
which meant no temple of stone, but His own body, 
and which referred to His Resurrection. The false 
witness changed these words. He said that Jesus had 
threatened to tear down the Temple built by the hand 
of man and replace it by another in which the hand 
of man would have no part. Now, to blaspheme the 
Temple was, in the eyes of the Jewish law, to blas- 
pheme God Himself. Jesus made no reply to these 
falsehoods, but when Caiaphas asked Him if He were 
Christ, the Son of God, He answered: "I am He; " 
then added: "I say to you that one day you shall 
see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the 
Power of God, and coming in the clouds of Heaven." 

4 The Armenians have a convent situated on the site of the 
Palace of Annas. — Frette, II, 530. 



168 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Hearing this testimony which Jesus rendered to Him- 
self, the high priest feigned great rage. Tearing his 
garments, as prescribed by law, he exclaimed: " What 
further need have we of witness; he hath blasphemed! 
What think you ? " Then from every voice was heard: 
" He is guilty of death." 

This seemed to be the signal for all to turn loose their 
hatred. Before separating, several magistrates, lay- 
ing aside all reserve, spit in the face of Jesus, while 
others, blindfolding Him, struck Him and cried at each 
blow: " Prophesy, O Christ, and tell who strikes 
you." It was now the servants' turn. 5 They drove 
Him before them, beating and abusing Him. 6 

Ill, Peter's Denial. — Peter and John alone, of all 
the disciples, had retraced their steps to follow Jesus. 
John, who was known in the house of Annas, went in 
and sat down during the hearing. Soon he noticed 
that Peter had stayed outside. At once he went and 
besought the maid-servant at the door to admit him; 
but when she saw Peter, she asked: "Are you not a 
disciple of that man ? " " No," answered the apostle 
as he passed within. He had just denied his Master 
for the first time. John had gone into the hall, but 
Peter remained in the court warming himself beside 
a great fire that had been enkindled there. Again the 
maid came up to Peter and eyed him closely. 
" Surely," said she, you were with Jesus. At first 
Peter declared he knew not what she meant, and, as 
she pressed him further, he declared that he did not 
even know Jesus, and finally began to swear. The 

5 See Frette, II, 541. 

6 A church now stands on the site of Caiaphas' house. A dark 
retreat beside the altar is called " Prison of Christ." Near the 
church is an Armenian convent. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 169 

words of Jesus were being fulfilled. An hour had 
passed; Peter was now talking with some soldiers. 
" Surely you were w T ith this man," said they, " for your 
speech betrays you; you are a Galilean." A relative 
of Malchus happened to be there, who asked: " Did 
I not see you in the garden with Him ? " For the third 
time, Peter denied His Master: "I know not what 
thou sayest; I know not the man of whom thou speak- 
est." And he renewed his oaths. At that moment 
the cock crew, and at the same time Jesus, who was 
being led by, cast a sad look at Peter. Those prophetic 
words flashed on his mind, and going out, he wept bit- 
terly. 7 It was now about four o'clock in the morning. 
IV, Death of Judas. — About six o'clock in the morn- 
ing, Jesus was again taken before the Sanhedrin. 
Questioned by the judges, He repeated His former 
words, declaring once more that He was the Son of 
God. The Sanhedrites, now that they were subject 
to Pome, had not the power to put anyone to death; so 
they dragged their Victim to the house of the governor, 
Pontius Pilate. Meanwhile, remorse had risen in the 
heart of Judas. He madly ran to the Temple where 
he had seen the people enter. There he found the 
priests and the ancients assembled together. " I have 
sinned," cried the traitor, rushing up to them and of- 
fering them the money they had given him. " I have 
delivered up the blood of a just man." " What is that 
to us," answered they disdainfully; " that is your own 

7 Tradition says that Peter went and shut himself up in an 
abandoned tomb, on the eastern side of Mt. Sion, there to bewail 
his fault. Later on, the Christians built a church on this place 
which they called " Gallicaute," in galli cantu. Nothing now 
remains of it. Of late years even the grotto has become a burial 
place for French pilgrims at Jerusalem. 



170 LIFE OF CHEIST. 

affair." Judas cast down the thirty shekels and went 
away. He went down towards the valley of Hinnon 
and ascended the slope that looked towards Mt. Sion. 
This was a field of potter's clay. Despair had entered 
his soul and he hanged himself. 

The cautious Sanhedrites decided to buy the potter's 
field and make it a burial ground for the traitor, with 
this price of treason. The inhabitants of Jerusalem 
still call this place Haceldama, " the field of blood." 
It has become a burial place for strangers. 8 

V, Jesus before Pilate. — The Sanhedrites now took 
Jesus to the house of Pilate. It was about seven 
o'clock in the morning. Pilate had ruled over Judea 
as procurator for six years. He was a weak, am- 
bitious man, always ready to sacrifice justice for per- 
sonal interest, and bore great hatred for the Jews, with 
whom he had already been engaged in serious strifes. 9 

He usually dwelt at Cesarea of the sea, but he had 
come to Jerusalem for the Pasch and had taken up 
his abode in the fortress of Antonio, 10 northwest of Mt. 
Moriah and the Temple, whence he could watch the 
crowds as they passed into the feasts and be at hand 
in case of a riot. Jesus, bound with ropes, had been 
led into the fortress. The Jews did not pass the door- 
step of the pretorium, lest they be made unclean by 
entering the house of a pagan, and consequently could 

8 St. Helena had some of the clay from Haceldama brought to 
Rome for the cemetery of pilgrims near the Vatican. In the 
twelfth century the inhabitants of Pisa also made of it their 
Campo Santo. The field of blood is still to be seen, south of 
Jerusalem in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. 

9 V, Beurlier, le Cadre historique de VEvanaile. 

10 Fortress built by the Machabees. Herod the Great had it 
enlarged, and called it Antonio, in honor of Mark Anthony, his 
protector. — Dictionnaire de la Bible, V, Antonia. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 171 

not eat the Pascli. So Pilate came out to meet them 
in the fortress. " What charge do you bring against 
this man ? " asked he. " If He were not an evil-doer, 
we would not have brought Him to you," answered the 
Jews. " Take Him," said Pilate, " and judge Him 
according to your law; " to which they replied: " You 
know well it is not lawful for us to put any man to 
death." They brought forth three charges against 
Jesus: that He had stirred up the people, had for- 
bidden them to pay tribute to Csesar, and had said He 
was the Christ-King. Pilate went in, took his judicial 
chair and ordered Jesus to be brought to him. 

He took no notice of the first two accusations, but 
the last was more serious. He knew that Tiberius 
dreaded all rivalry. So his interview with Jesus per- 
tained to this subject alone. "Art Thou the King of 
the Jews ? * * * What hast Thou done ? " were 
his first questions. Jesus explained to him what man- 
ner of kingdom this was which had so offended them. 
" My kingdom is not of this world," said He. " If 
My kingdom were of this world, my soldiers would cer- 
tainly strive to free Me from the hands of the Jews. 
"Art Thou then a king ? " " You have said it," re- 
plied Jesus; " I am a king." Then He told Pilate that 
His was a spiritual kingdom of power and truth, and 
that He was born and came into the world to bear 
witness to the truth, and whoever loved the truth would 
hear His voice. 

These words were new to Pilate, and although fully 
satisfied, the unbelieving Eoman asked, " What is 
truth ? " Then he went out to the Jews and said : 
" I find no cause for death in this man." Wild cries 
drowned his words ; some spoke vaguely of sedition and 



172 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

violence. Pilate ordered them to bring Jesus forth. 
The Jewish ire was now redoubled against Jesus. 
Pilate then asked Him if He did not hear all these 
charges which were brought against Him, but Jesus 
answered nothing. Pilate was astonished and con- 
fused. Yet he soon found an expedient. In the mul- 
titude of voices, Pilate heard the words: " He stir- 
reth up the people throughout Judea, beginning at 
Galilee." All was now well for Pilate; he had learned 
that Jesus was of Galilee, so he sent Him to the 
tetrarch Herod, the king of Galilee, who was then in 
Jerusalem. 

VI, Jesus before Herod. — Herod had taken up his 
quarters in the ancient palace of the Machabees, sepa- 
rated from the Temple by only the valley of Tyropseon. 
There was a bridge across this valley leading to Mt. 
Moriah. Herod was that proud and cruel prince who 
had put St. John the Baptist to death. It was about 
eight o'clock in the morning when the Roman soldiers 
brought Jesus before him. 

Herod had heard of Jesus, so he wished to see Him, 
especially as he thought He would work a miracle for 
him. He asked many curious questions, but Jesus ut- 
tered not a word. Herod was surprised and beaten, 
and though he heeded not the charges of the Jews, he 
delivered Jesus to the mockeries of his guard, and put- 
ting the white robe of the fool upon Him, sent Him 
back to Pilate. By this exchange of courtesies, Herod 
and Pilate, who for a long time had been at enmity, 
became fast friends. 

Vn, Barabbas Preferred to Jesus. — In the mean- 
time, Pilate, who was schooled in stern Roman justice, 
knowing that Jesus was innocent, wished to save Him. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 173 

He took Him before the Jews. " You have brought 
this man to me," said he, " accusing Him of stirring up 
the people. I have questioned Him before you and 
have found no crime in Him. Neither has Herod, to 
whom I sent Him, found Him guilty of death. I will 
scourge Him and release Him." 

At this very time the crowd had gathered on the 
Antonio for the usual ceremony of liberating a pris- 
oner. Every year, during the time of the Pasch, the 
Roman governor granted the people this favor. Pilate 
thought to take advantage of this event. The San- 
hedrites had in their prison a certain Barabbas, who 
was a highway robber and murderer. " Whom do you 
wish me to deliver unto you," cried the governor, 
" Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ ? Shall 
it be the King of the Jews ? " He mounted his tribu- 
nal 11 to hear the answer of the people. As he took 
his place, a servant brought him a note from his wife 12 
which ran as follows: " Have nothing to do with that 
just man; for I have had a troublesome dream about 
him." Now the priests had gone throughout the crowd 
exciting the people against Jesus. So when Pilate 
asked if they wished to free the king of the Jews, the 
multitude cried out w T ith one voice, " Barabbas ! Barab- 
bas ! " Pilate was surprised and again mentioned the 
name of Jesus. " Not Him! not Him! we want 
Barabbas," again cried out the multitude. Then this 
dialogue took place between the governor and the 
people. " What shall I do with the King of the 
Jews?" "Put Him to death; we want Barabbas." 

11 The stage, generally rectangular, on which was placed the 
curule chair of the Roman magistrates. 

12 Tradition calls her Claudia Procula. 



174 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

" But Jesus whom you call Christ ? " " Crucify Him ! 
Crucify Him ! " " What evil has He done % I will chas- 
tise Him and send Him away." At this their fury 
grew apace and they cried out all the more, " Crucify 
Him ! Crucify Him ! " Pilate felt his strength grow- 
ing weak. Did he think to blind the eyes of future 
ages by an empty symbol? He ordered a basin of 
water, in which he washed his hands, saying that he 
was innocent of this just man's blood and that they 
would have to answer for it. Then the people ex- 
claimed with one accord: " His blood be upon us and 
upon our children." 

Frightful imprecation of a maddened people, which 
they must carry to the end of time ! Pilate had not 
the courage to go further. He freed Barabbas, and 
although Jesus had not been condemned, he gave Him 
to the soldiers to be scourged. 

VIII, The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns.— 
Before the soldiers had left the judgment hall, they 
partly stripped our Saviour and tying His hands to a 
column, they scourged Him. 13 

After subjecting Him to this horrible treatment be- 
fore the eyes of the people, the soldiers took Jesus 
within the fortress. Here they paid Him mock 
homage as to a king, which was both painful and cruel. 
They called forth the cohort (about five hundred men), 
then clothing Jesus with the red mantle of a legionary, 
they set Him upon a broken column which w T as there. 
Some of them, to carry the jest still further, plaited 
a crown of bulrushes, which they interlaced with 

13 The pillar of the scourging is in the Church of St. Praxeda, 
at Rome. Tt is of black marble streaked with white, and is 
about four feet high. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 175 

thorns. This they placed upon His head and put a 
reed in His right hand. 14 All then passed before 
Him, mockingly bowing the knee and saluting Him 
with "Ave rex Judearuni, — Hail King of the Jews ! " 
The higher officers struck Him, spit in His face, and 
broke the reed over His head. Through all this ig- 
nominy and torture, Jesus did not utter a single word. 

IX, Ecce Homo ! The Condemnation. — Did Pilate 
find that Jesus had suffered enough ? Or did he think 
the Jewish cruelty would melt at sight of the Martyr ? 
He appeared again on the Gabbatha. " Behold, I have 
brought Him to you," said Pilate, " to tell you that I 
have found no crime in Him." Jesus stands before 
them, the crown of thorns upon His brow, the red cloak 
floating about His bleeding body. He ascended the 
twenty-eight steps of white marble which led to the 
tribunal: those steps which the faithful to-day mount 
on their knees. 15 " Behold the man," cried Pilate, 
" Ecce Homo ! " " Crucify Him, Crucify Him," came 
the reply. " Crucify Him yourselves," said Pilate. 
" We have a law," answered the Jews, " and according 
to that law He should die, because He said He is the 
Son of God." 

Pilate returned to the judgment hall and said to 
Jesus : " Whence are Thou ? " But Jesus gave him 
no answer. " You will not speak ! " muttered the gov- 
ernor; " do you not know that I have power to crucify 
You ? " " Thou wouldst have no power over me," an- 

14 The circle of bulrushes from the Holy Crown, is at Notre- 
Dame, Paris. See the drawing in Le Passion of P. Ollivier, p. 488. 
As to the thorns, there are five at Rome, one at Treves, one at 
Paris, one at Reines. two at Toulouse, one at Minie, one at 
Libourne. The others are lost. 

15 The stairway of the pretorium is to-day at Rome and is 
venerated as the Santa Scala. 



176 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

swered our Blessed Redeemer, " unless it were given 
thee from above." Pilate still strove to free Him. 
The Sanhedrites made a supreme effort. " If you re- 
lease this man," said they, " you are no friend of 
Caesar's; for whoever makes himself a king is an 
enemy to Csesar." 16 This time they had struck the right 
chord. In picturing to Pilate a complaint, a call to 
Rome, his downfall, and perhaps his death, they quelled 
the springs of conscience which arose in his unmanly 
heart. Personal interest was too strong. Pilate 
yielded with the decisive words : " Thou shalt go to 
the cross!" Then turning to the lictor, he said: 
" Go, prepare the cross." He then went into his pal- 
ace. It was about eleven o'clock in the morning. 

16 Three years later on the depositions of the Samaritans, Pilate 
was sent to Rome by Vitellius, proconsul of Syria, to justify the 
accusations brought against him. The hour which he dreaded 
had come at last. Condemned, deprived of his possessions, and 
exiled to the banks of the Rhone in Gaul, he soon died, some 
say by suicide, while others hold that he died in the grace of 
God. There is a high pyramid at Vienne which passes for Pilate's 
tomb. The Church of Abyssinia has recorded him among her 
saints. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 177 

CHAPTEE III. 

The Crucifixion. 

I, The Way of the Cross. — The cross was soon made 
ready. Eastern tradition says it was in form a Latin 
cross made of pine wood. 17 On it were written, in 
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, these w T ords: 

" Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." 18 

The priests were angry at seeing this title and asked 
Pilate to change it. " What I have written is writ- 
ten," answered the Roman disdainfully. 

The way they took led from the Antonio to Calvary, 
which lay about a half mile west of the city. He first 
went down into the Tyropseon valley, then ascended 
the opposite slope. This is the sorrowful way, the 
Via Dolorosa. 

Jesus, already weakened by the tortures of mind and 
body which He had undergone, took the heavy cross 
upon His shoulders and struggled on towards Calvary. 
The crowd that pressed around Him heaped insults upon 
Him in spite of the Roman guard. 

At the foot of the hill, Jesus fell to the ground. He 
arose under the blows of the soldiers, but seemed too 
weak to carry His burden further. Just then a Cy- 
renean Jew chanced to be coming in from the fields, 
by the gate of Damas, with his two sons, Alexander 
and Rufus. 19 So they forced him to carry the cross. 

17 The microscopic study of particles of the true cross shows 
that it was of pine. — Fouard, II, 368, note. 

18 A fragment of this title is at Rome, in the Church of the 
Holy-Cross-in- Jerusalem . 

19 St. Paul (Rom. XVI, 13) speaks of Rufus, whom he calls 
" elect in the Lord," and also of his mother. 

12 



178 LIFE OF CHKIST. 

He took it upon his shoulders and followed Jesus, an 
act for which, later on, he and his two sons received 
the gift of faith. 

At some paces from there, Jesus, according to tradi- 
tion, saw His Blessed Mother, supported by Magdalen 
and the beloved disciple, amid a few sorrowing friends. 
Son looked at Mother and Mother at Son. 20 

The procession pushed steadily on and reached the 
top of the slope. Then Jesus fell once more. At that 
moment, a woman came rushing from a house on the 
left, bringing a towel, which she had dipped in fresh 
water. With deep respect, she wiped her Saviour's 
face, all covered with sweat and blood. 

Although the Gospels are silent on this point, tradi- 
tion holds that the august face of Jesus remained im- 
printed on the towel. Veronica, or Berenice, was thus 
repaid for her loving deed of courageous charity. 21 

Jesus had now arrived at the Gate of Judgment; 
they went a little to the left, along the path which led 
up to Calvary. Jesus now falls a third time. The 
women who were present could not restrain their tears 
and their sobs. These women probably carried the 
drink, ordered by the Sanhedrin for the condemned, 
which was wine mixed with myrrh, intended to allay in 
part the terrible suffering. So far, Jesus had not ut- 
tered a word; but now He spoke to these women by 
way of warning to His people, and appeal to repent- 

20 The Blessed Mother, as tradition says, had for a moment, 
a swooning, which may be well understood in her great sorrow. 
(The flpasimo of Raphael.) 

21 Was she a lady of Gaul? Did she espouse Zacheus and re- 
turn with him to the land of her birth? Some think so. What- 
ever be the case with herself, the miraculous Veil of Veronica 
passed, later, to the Vatican Basilica, where it is to-day. — The 
devotion of the Holy Face comes from this. 




o 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 179 

ance. " Daughters of Jerusalem/' said He, " weep 
not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your chil- 
dren." And He told the evils that would befall the 
city as a punishment for its crime. Many of them, 
doubtless, forty years later, saw the calamities foretold 
this day come to pass. 

At last they reached the summit of Calvary, a bare 
platform called the Bald Mount. It was mid-day. 
The awful journey had lasted about half an hour. 

II, The Xailing to the Cross. — Calvary was simply 
a hill, a rocky knoll, rising only a few yards. It 
sloped gradually towards Jerusalem, but the opposite 
side was steep. 

Here the executioners crucified Jesus. The Gospels 
afford no details of the crucifixion, but simply say: 
" Et crucifixerunt Eum — they crucified Him." How- 
ever, the manner in which He was fastened to the cross 
may be drawn from various passages in ancient writers, 
and all witnesses agree in saying that it was the most 
horrible kind of punishment the cruelty of man could 
invent. 

Stripped of His garments, Jesus was stretched upon 
the cross, which lay upon the ground. The soldiers 
first nailed fast His hands, then each of His feet sepa- 
rately. This done, they planted the cross in a hole 
which had been dug for it. On either side of our 
Blessed Redeemer's cross they also raised the crosses 
of the two thieves whom Pilate, to show his hatred for 
the Jewish law, had caused to be crucified with Jesus. 

III, Jesus on the Cross; The Seven Words; The 
Death of Jesus. — The soldiers, as customary, divided 
the clothing of Jesus among them. They cast lots for 






180 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

His tunic, so as not to cut it; 22 then they sat at the foot 
of the cross to keep their watch. The crowd thronged 
around them. Mary, the holy women, and St. John 
stood near by. Now, the Jews, first the false wit- 
nesses, next the Sanhedrites, then the people, and even 
the thieves mocked and blasphemed Jesus. They 
called on Him to come down from the cross. "He 
saved others," cried they, " now He cannot save Him- 
self." In the midst of this showering of insults, the 
first word escaped our Saviour's lips. They were 
words of forgiveness. " My Father," He groaned, 
" Forgive Tiiem, for The y Know Not What They Do." 
This gentle pardon touched to the heart one of the two 
who were crucified with Jesus. Not only did he cease 
his own mockeries, but he rebuked his companion, and 
pleaded for the Innocent Victim. " We suffer justly,!' 
said he, " we receive the price of our crimes, but what 
evil has He done ? Lord," added he, turning to Jesus, 
" remember me when You enter into Your Kingdom." 

That humble confession and that cry for mercy were 
enough; pardon from on High came down upon that 
man. " Amen, I Say to You," said Jesus, looking to- 
wards him, " This Day Shalt Thou Be with Me in 
Paradise." 

The destiny of the good thief was fixed, and his eter- 
nity assured. 23 

Meanwhile a great change appeared in the air. A 
cloud overshadowed Calvary and the darkness thick- 

22 Our Saviour's Holy Tunic is preserved at Argenteuil, in the 
diocese of Versailles; another garment, the Holy Robe, is pre- 
served at Treves. See Jacquemot, La tunique sans couture de 
N.-S.-J.-C. conservee dans Veglise d'Argenteuil; Desclee, 1893. 

23 Tradition calls him Damas. Several churches have numbered 
him among the saints. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 181 

ened around. Nothing could be seen; it was not an 
ordinary eclipse; fear began to seize upon all present. 
The crowd had left the hill and had sought refuge in 
the city and in the Temple. Mary and the women who 
accompanied her could now draw near the cross; with 
them was the beloved disciple, St. John. Mary stood 
on the left of the cross. 24 Casting a look on St. John, 
Jesus said to His Mother: " Woman Behold Thy Son," 
then to the disciple: " Son, Behold Thy Mother." 
Thus in the person of St. John, He gave Mary to the 
whole human race as a mother and protectress. 

Jesus passed three hours in silent agony. Suddenly 
He cried out: " Eli, Eli, Lamma Sabactana! My 
God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me." 

These were the words of the Psalm (XXI), in which 
David, long before, had told the Passion of the Mes- 
siah. Soon Jesus again cried out: "I Thirst." On 
the end of a long pole, they reached Him a sponge 
steeped in water mingled with vinegar. Jesus touched 
His lips to the sponge, and, reanimated by the drink, 
He said: " All is Over — Consummatum est," show- 
ing that His sacrifice was ended. Then, with a loud 
voice He cried : " Father, into Thy Hands, I Com- 
mend My Spirit," and bowing His head, He expired. 
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon (the ninth 
hour with the Jews). 

24 The Stabat Mater has immortalized that scene. 



182 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Jesus in the Tomb. 

I, Wonders at the Death of Jesus. — Many wonder- 
ful signs marked the moment when our Saviours' soul 
passed away. The veil of the Temple which hung 
across the entrance to the Holy of Holies was rent from 
top to bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks on Calvary 
were split; graves were opened, and many of the dead 
came forth living. Besides these wonders, which we 
find related in the Gospels, another is told by profane 
writers. " The Gate of ISTicanor, whose heavy bronze 
folds could scarcely be swung by twenty men, opened 
of its own accord, 25 and the large marble head-piece 26 
above the entrance to the sanctuary was riven in twain. 
At the same moment, a strange voice was heard to say: 
i Let us leave this place/ with the noise of hasty foot- 
steps, which would henceforth ramble about the court 
of the Temple without mystery." 27 

The Roman centurion, impressed by the wonders 
which he beheld, cried out: " Truly this was the Son 
of God." The soldiers,, moved in like manner, re- 
peated the same words: " Yes, indeed, this was the 
Son of God." The Jews went away striking their 
breasts. There now remained only the holy women 
and the disciples around the cross of Jesus. 

II, The Taking Down from the Cross and the Burial. 
— Meanwhile, the priests had gone to Pilate and asked 

25 Dr. Lepp, quoting the Talmud, III, 51. 

26 St. Jerome, quoting the Gospel of the Hebrews. (In Matth., 
XXVII, 51.) 

27 Dr. Lepp, III, 53. These details are given by P. Ollivier, 
La Passion, 365. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 1Q6 

him to dispose of the bodies before the hour of the 
Sabbath. Pilate sent his soldiers, who broke the rob- 
bers' legs to hasten their end; but Jesus was already 
dead; to make sure, a soldier stepped forth and pierced 
His side with a lance. 28 St. John, who was present, 
saw blood and water flow from the wound thus made. 

As the soldiers were making ready to take down the 
bodies, a rich citizen, Joseph of Arimathea, 29 who was 
a secret disciple of Jesus, appeared on the scene. At 
once he ran to Pilate's house and asked for the body 
of Jesus, to render it the last honors. 

Pilate granted his request. Joseph hastened to buy 
the burial linens and went back to Golgotha. Just 
then another secret admirer of Jesus, Mcodemus, came 
up with a hundred pounds' weight of perfume. 

The two men, aided by their servants, set about to 
draw the nails, which the holy women carefully laid 
aside with the crown of thorns; then they tenderly low- 
ered the Holy Body. Tradition tells us that the 
Blessed Virgin took the pale and bloody head of Jesus 
on her lap and covered it with her tears, 30 whilst Mag- 
dalen kissed His feet and St. John wept in silence. 
After some moments given to grief, they embalmed the 
body, which had to be done before the hour of the Sab- 
bath. 31 The perfumed bands were wrapped around the 
Sacred Body, and the winding-sheet spread over the 
Holy Face. 

28 The lance which pierced our Saviour's side is still kept in 
St. Peter's, at Rome, under the name of Holy Lance. 

29 For the identification of Arimathea, see Dictionnaire de la 
Bible, article Arimathie. 

30 The Pietd of Michael Angelo in St. Peter's., at Rome. 

31 The stone on which our Saviour's body was embalmed is pre- 
served in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, under 
the name of Stone of the Anointment. 



184 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

III, The Holy Sepulchre; Jesus Placed in the 
Tomb. — Joseph of Arimathea owned a garden near the 
foot of Calvary; in this garden he had hewn out a tomb 
in the rock. Here the body of our Divine Redeemer 
was placed. 

32 This done, he rolled to the opening of the tomb 
the heavy stone, which served as a door, and returned 
to Jerusalem. 

IV, The Tomb Sealed and Guarded.— The enemies 
of Jesus were not at ease. They remembered that He 
had declared He would rise on the third day; so it was 
necessary to take precautions against fraud, as they 
thought, in this pretended resurrection. The next day, 
although it was the Sabbath, a day on which they were 
not allowed to speak with pagans, they went to Pilate 
and reminded him that Jesus had said He would come 
to life again after three days. They asked him to set 
a guard over the sepulchre lest the disciples should 
steal away the body and say that their Master had risen 
from the dead,, adding that the last error would be 
worse than the first. Pilate was tired of their repeated 
requests, and told them to take the guard and use it as 
they wished. They went, sealed the tomb with the 
official stamp, and placed the guard around about to 
prevent all attempts at taking the body away. 

32 This scene has inspired numerous works of art, especially 
in the sixteenth century; the most celebrated is the Sepulchre of 
Saint Mihiel. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 185 

CHAPTEE V. 

The Resurrection. 

I, The Resurrection. — Nothing took place on the 
Sabbath. Towards the end of the following night, or 
rather, early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalen, and 
Mary, the mother of James and Salome, left the city 
to go to the sepulchre. They carried with them .aro- 
matic spices to complete the hasty embalming of two 
days before. The first streaks of dawn began to ap- 
pear in the heavens as they reached the garden. 
" Who will roll back the stone from the tomb ? " said 
they, before entering. They knew nothing of the 
measures that had been taken, and of the soldiers sent 
to guard. All at once they saw the stone lying to one 
side. Christ had risen a little before daybreak. The 
earth had quaked; the terrified soldiers had at first 
fallen to the ground, then they fled to the city; 33 the 
stone had been hurled back. 

Mary Magdalen was troubled at this sight and ran 
towards the city; on the way, she met Peter and John. 
" They have taken away the Lord out of the sepul- 
chre," cried she, " and I know not where they have 
laid Him." The two disciples hurried on to the Holy 
Tomb. 

Meanwhile, the companions of Magdalen had entered 
the cave. An angel, having the appearance of a young 
man clothed in white, sat on the right of the stone. 
" Be not affrighted," said he, " you seek Jesus of Naz- 

33 The soldiers, in this scene, are often represented as being 
awakened from sleep by Christ's rising. It is an error ; sleep was 
no more tolerated among Jewish guards than it is among our 
own. 



186 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

areth, who was crucified; He is risen; He is not here; 
behold the place where they laid Him." At this, the 
women turned and went away. Peter and John have 
now reached the tomb. Peter entered and saw the 
linen cloths and the winding-sheet carefully folded, 
he believed what a deep knowledge of the Scriptures 
had revealed to them before, that " Christ must rise 
from the dead." 

II, The Apparitions; 34 Jesus Appears to Mary Mag- 
dalen. — As yet Our Risen Saviour had been seen by 
no one. Mary Magdalen was the first to be thus fa- 
vored. The two disciples had gone away; but Magdalen 
remained, gazing about the grotto through her fast- 
flowing tears. The angels, whom the holy women had 
seen, again stood by. " Woman, why weepest thou ? " 
asked they. " Because they have taken away my 
Lord," answered she, amid her sobs, " and I know not 
where they have laid Him." She turned about. Had 
she heard footsteps from behind ? She beheld a human 
form before her; her tearful eyes could not recognize 
Jesus. "Woman, why weepest thou ? " said He, 
" whom seekest thou ? " Magdalen, given up entirely 
to her sorrow, thought he was the gardener 35 and an- 

34 The Gospels mention nine apparitions: 1st. To Magdalen in 
the garden; 2d. To the holy women; 3d. To Peter; 4th. To the 
disciples of Emmaus; 5th. To the ten apostles in the Cenade.. 
These five apparitions took place on the day of the Resurrection. 
6th. To the apostles and St. Thomas, eight days later; 7th. To 
seven apostles on the borders of the lake at Tiberias; 8th. To 
more than 500 disciples on a mountain of Galilee; 9th. to the 
crowd of disciples on the day of His Ascension. St. Paul (I, Cor. 
XV. 7 ) , says that our Lord appeared to St. James. Tradition 
holds also that He appeared to the Blessed Virgin. 

35 Painters of the middle ages represent our Lord in the 
costume, or at least with the tools, of a gardener. There is no 
foundation for this in the Gospels. Magdalen's confusion and 
sorrow sufficiently explain her error. 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 187 

swered : " Sir, if thou hast taken Him hence, tell me 
where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." 
She doubtless feared some new indignity, and wished 
to provide an honorable burial for her Lord. Jesus 
uttered the single word, "Mary;" then Magdalen 
recognized her Saviour. 

" Master," cried she, falling down at His feet. " Do 
not touch Me," said Jesus, " for I am not yet ascended 
to my Father ; but go to my brethren and tell them that 
I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God 
and to your God." He was gone. Mary sought the 
disciples, who were weeping and lamenting, and told 
them that she had seen the Lord, and she related His 
words to them. But they did not believe her. 

III, Jesus Appears to the Holy Women. — About the 
same hour, Jesus appeared to the holy women. They 
were just hastening away from the sepulchre, fearful, 
yet overjoyed, to tell the disciples what the angels had 
said. Jesus stood before them and exclaimed: "All 
hail." At once they cast themselves to the ground, 
kissing His feet and adoring Him. 36 " Fear not," 
added He, "go tell my brethren to go into Galilee; 
there they shall see Me." 

IV, The Disciples of Emmaus, — On the afternoon of 
the same day, two of the disciples were on their way to 
Emmaus, 37 a village about seven and a half miles west 
of Jerusalem. They were talking about what had 

36 " And they adored Him." Adoration, with the Jews, con- 
sisted in throwing themselves on both knees, prostrating them- 
selves to the ground before the person, kissing His feet, and 
touching the ground with their forehead before Him. 

37 Some identify Emmaus with Amonas (Nicopolis), others 
with Koubeybeh. Eastern tradition upholds the latter, which is 
the distance from Jerusalem, which the Vulgate gives. Amonas 
is about seventeen miles distant. 



188 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

taken place and about the report of the resurrection, 
which the holy women had given out that morning. 
Just then a man who followed the same way came up 
to them. It was Jesus, but they did not recognize 
Him, for He, doubtless, concealed His identity by su- 
pernatural power. The stranger addressed them in 
these words: " You seem to be sad; of what are you 
talking ?" Cleophas, one of the two, answered: 
" You are a stranger in Jerusalem and do not know, 
perhaps, what has taken place there within the last few 
days." In answer to the stranger's questions as to 
what had happened, they continued: "It is about 
Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in work 
and word before God and the people. Our chief 
priests and princes delivered Him to be condemned to 
death and crucified Him. "We had hoped that He 
would redeem Israel; but to-day is the third day since 
these things were done. Yea, and certain women of 
our company have puzzled us. They went to the 
sepulchre before sunrise and did not find the body. Then 
they came back saying that they had seen angels, and 
that the angels had told them -He was alive. Some of 
our number went to the tomb and found all things as 
the women had said, but they did not see Him. " O, 
foolish men," said Jesus, " how slow are your hearts, 
to believe all that the prophets have foretold ! Ought 
not Christ to have suffered these things, and so enter 
into His glory ? " Then He explained all the passages 
of the prophets relating to Himself, from Moses down. 
They reached the town. Jesus pretends that He 
must go further, but the disciples would not hear to it. 
" Stay with us," they urged, " it is late, and the day is 
far spent." It was then about six o'clock in the even- 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 189 

ing. Jesus went with them into the house 38 to which 
they w T ere going, and the three sat down at table. 
Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to 
them. 

At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they 
recognized Him; but He vanished from their sight. 
" Was not our heart burning within us," said one to 
the other, " when He spoke with us along the way, and 
showed us the meaning of the Scriptures ? " They 
arose and set out at once for Jerusalem, where they 
arrived in the course of the evening. 

V, Jesus in the Cenacle. — The two disciples found 
the apostles 39 gathered together in the cenacle, and 
many others with them. They were told that Jesus 
had appeared to Peter. Then they related what had 
happened on the way, and how they had recognized 
Jesus at the breaking of the bread. 

Whilst they were speaking Jesus appeared in the 
midst of all, and said: " Peace be to you; it is I, fear 
not." Yet they were troubled and affrighted; they 
thought they had to deal with a spirit. The strange 
manner in which He had come amongst them caused 
these feelings. Then He added: "Why are you 
troubled, and why do these thoughts arise in your 
hearts? See My hands and My feet; it is I, touch and 
see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see I 
have." Then He showed them His hands and His feet, 
that had been pierced by the nails. 

38 Tradition holds that this was the house in which Cleophas 
lived. The Fathers of the Holy Land have just discovered the 
foundations of a great church at Emmaus-Koubeybeh, and within 
the church they have discovered the foundations of a house which 
they believe is that of Cleophas. See Saint Francois et la Terre 
Saint (Revue Franciscaine, numero de juin, 1895). 

3S Judas was dead and Thomas absent. 



190 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

Though their fears were removed, the disciples still 
doubted. Then Jesus asked them if they had anything 
to eat. He wished to show clearly that He had really 
risen. They gave Him a piece of roasted fish and a 
honeycomb, which He ate before them. 

Jesus had chosen this occasion to establish a great 
sacrament. " Peace be to you," said He, again to His 
apostles, " as the Father hath sent Me, I also send 
you." Then breathing on them, He said to them: 
" Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall for- 
give, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall 
retain they are retained." By these words, He insti- 
tuted the Sacrament of Penance, and bestowed on His 
apostles the Divine Power which He Himself had used 
so often, 40 

V, Jesus Appears to Thomas. — Thomas, one of the 
apostles, was not with them when Jesus appeared. He 
would not believe his brethren when they said they had 
seen their Master, and declared that he would not be- 
lieve until he had clear proofs : u Except I sh^ll see in 
His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into 
the place of the nails," said he, " and put my hand into 
His side, I will not believe." God allowed His apostle 
thus to doubt to make our faith the stronger. The de- 
sired proof was given to Thomas. Eight days later, he 
was with the others in the cenacle. The doors were 
closed. Jesus came and stood in their midst. " Peace 
be to you," said He, as customary; then turning to 
Thomas: " Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands, 
and bring hither thy hand and put it into my side; and 

40 Council of Trent, Sess. XIV, chap. 1. The Lord instituted 
the Sacrament of Penance after His Resurrection, when He 
breathed on His disciples, saying : " Receive ye the Holy Ghost," 
etc. 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 191 

be not faithless/' Thomas saw that Jesus knew his 
doubts. He could touch the wounds of the Risen Di- 
vinity as the others had doubtless done eight days be- 
fore; but Thomas was convinced. He fell down at his 
Master's feet and adored Him. " Because thou hast 
seen Me, Thomas/ 7 said Jesus, " thou hast believed; 
blessed are they that have not seen and have be- 
lieved." 

VI, The Apparitions in Galilee; Jesus Appears to 
Seven Disciples on the Lake of Genesareth. — Jesus had 
said to the holy women on the morning of His Resur- 
rection : " Go tell my disciples to go into Galilee; 
there they will see Me." Finally the apostles, and 
many of the disciples, when the Pasch was over, betook 
themselves to this place. 

Jesus reserved two glorious manifestations for the 
land of His youth. The neighborhood of Genesareth, 
over which He had often travelled, w r as to be the scene 
of these apparitions. 

Seven of the apostles were there: Simon Peter, 
Thomas, JsTathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two 
others, whom the Gospel does not name, but who were 
doubtless Andrew and Philip, the two fishermen from 
Bethsaida. One evening Peter said to them : " I go a- 
fishing." " We will go with you," answered they. 
They went into the boat but caught nothing during the 
whole night. In the morning, they saw a man stand- 
ing on the shore; but they did not know him. It was 
Jesus. He called to them, asking if they had anything 
to eat. As they answered no, He told them to cast the 
net to the right. They did so, and the net was so 
filled they could not raise it. At this, the disciple 
whom Jesus loved, recognized his Master, and ex- 



192 LIFE OF CHRIST. , 

claimed: "It is the Lord." When Peter heard this, 
he tied his cloak about him and leaped into the sea and 
swam to reach Jesus all the more quickly. The others 
rowed to land, a distance of about a hundred yards, 
dragging the net after them. When they got to land 
they found coals already burning and a fish with bread 
placed upon them. 

Jesus told them to bring in the fish they had caught. 
Peter entered the boat and drew the net to land. It 
contained a hundred and fifty large fish, and in spite of 
this great weight it w r as not broken. Then Jesus told 
them to come and eat. He drew near the circle 
formed by the disciples, took bread and gave to them; 
in like manner with the fish. The Gospel remarks that 
the meal was eaten in silence. All knew that it was 
their Master, yet none dared ask Him how He came. 

VII, Feed My Lambs ; Feed My Sheep. — An import- 
ant scene took place at the end of this repast. 

Jesus said to Peter: " Simon, son of Jona, lovest 
thou Me more than these ? " " Yea, Lord," answered 
the apostle, " Thou know r est that I love Thee." To 
which our Saviour added: " Feed My lambs." A sec- 
ond time He asked: " Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou 
Me ? " " Yea, Lord," was the same response, " Thou 
knowest that I love Thee." And again, our Saviour 
said: " Feed my Lambs." Then a third time came the 
question, with more force : " Simon, son of Jona, 
lovest thou Me ? " Peter was grieved at this repetition, 
but he doubtless remembered his triple denial, and felt 
that his Master was giving him a chance to make 
amends. 

" Lord, Thou knowest all things," answered Peter, 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 193 

" Thou knowest that I love Thee." Then Jesus said: 
" Feed My sheep." 41 

Jesus had already made Peter the foundation-stone 
of His Church; He had given him the right of in- 
fallibility; and now he was made the governor of both 
people and pastors as signified by the lambs and the 
sheep. He should guard over the whole flock, guide 
them from dangers, protect them, and lead them to 
good pastures. Sublime mission, which sheds so much 
glory on the Papacy even in this world ! 

Jesus ended by telling Peter what manner of death 
awaited him; it was to be like His own. 

VIII, Second Apparition in Galilee. — Another time 
Jesus showed Himself to the eleven apostles, and more 
than five hundred disciples. They had come together 
on a mountain near Genesareth (perhaps the Mount of 
Beatitudes). Jesus stood before them. The apostles 
fell down in adoration. Some in the crowd still 
doubted. Jesus turned to the apostles and said: " All 
power is given to Me in heaven and on earth. Goi^g 
therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things whatso- 
ever I have commanded you; and behold, I am with 
you all days, even to the consummation of the world." 

Jesus thus created, in a definite manner, the Catholic 
Apostleship, the rules for which He had already laid 
down. 

41 There are terms, in the text, especially in the Greek, with 
different shades of meaning, which cannot be exactly translated. — 
See Fouard, II, 425, note^3, and 426, note 1. 

13 



194 LIFE OF CHRIST. 

CHAPTEK VI. 

The Ascension. 

Forty days had passed since the Resurrection. The 
time had come which was to end our Divine Saviour's 
stay on earth. The apostles, cautioned by Him, had 
returned to Jerusalem. A last time, He joined them 
and the other disciples, probably in the cenacle, ate 
with them, explained the passages of Scripture relat- 
ing to His Resurrection, and foretold the coming of the 
Holy Ghost. 

He arose, and, at their head, went to Olivet, where 
He had gone, in very different circumstances on the 
evening of Holy Thursday. On the way, He an- 
swered their curious questions and caused them, once 
for all, to abandon their hopes in His temporal power, 
and to prepare to preach his Gospel throughout the 
world. 

tf The power of the Holy Ghost/' said He, " will 
come down upon you and you shall bear witness of 
Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and even 
in the farthermost parts of the world." 

They arrived at the* top of Olivet, 42 to the right of 
which ends the territory of Jerusalem, and where that 
of Bethany begins. The apostles and disciples made 
a number of about five hundred. Jesus stood still, 

42 The Emperor Constantine erected a church on the central 
summit of Olivet, at the very place of the Ascension. " It was 
round, ,; says St. Jerome who saw it, and the cupola was open 
towards the top; they wished to leave uncovered the point at 
which Jesus ascended to His Father. This church was destroyed; 
to-day the place of the Ascension is occupied by a mosque. A 
venerable tradition holds that an impression in a rock, on this 
place, is the footprint of our Saviour. 



LIFE OF CHEIST. 195 

and stretching His hands above those who stood 
around, He blessed them. As He blessed them, He 
raised Himself by His own power, towards Heaven, and 
was gone. A cloud enveloped Him before all eyes. 
His Holy Humanity went to receive the rewards it had 
won, at the right hand of the Father. 

The disciples stood fixed in contemplation; two an- 
gels, clothed in white, appeared to them, and said: 
" Men of Galilee, why stand you here, looking up to 
Heaven ? This Jesus who is taken from you into 
Heaven, shall so come, as you have seen Him go 
into Heaven. 

The disciples left the mountain and joyfully re- 
turned to Jerusalem to await the fulfilment of the 
promises which Jesus had made. 

The End. 



■JUN.16 1900 



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